00:00Obviously the war going on is several things affecting business as well on top
00:04of these parking charges and so on. Angry traders on Chatham High Street who
00:08claim that Medway Council's increased parking charges has stopped footfall in
00:14its tracks. You know a lot of customers are coming into the shop saying oh we're
00:17not going to come into Chatham anymore due to these high prices they can go
00:21other places ie Hempstead Valley, Blue Water which is free parking so it's
00:26affecting us massively. From the 1st of May one hour of parking went up from £2.40
00:32to £2.90 and two hours went from £2.90 up to £3.50. This came
00:39alongside reducing the cost of a 30-minute stay to just a pound down from £1.90.
00:47Keir Singh who's run first-choice shoes for 40 years is also struggling with
00:52getting customers through the door. 48 business owners in Chatham have signed a petition for Medway
01:16Council and seemed up for having a conversation. After claiming they weren't notified before the new
01:22tariffs came into play. If they try to make like a meeting with the any shop owners or
01:29if we go any we will be happy to go there and tell them our problems no one came no
01:36one asked. Medway Council begged to differ. A spokesperson said the revised parking
01:43charges were introduced after careful consideration and in response to well
01:48publicised financial pressures affecting local authorities around the country. As
01:54with many aspects of council business, parking charges remain under review. But the
02:00council is also working against serious deficit having secured government funding
02:05for the third year in a row. So does each party simply need to walk a mile in the
02:11other's shoes. Megan Shaw in Chatham.
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