Plans to introduce car park fees on Sundays across an entire district have been branded "ridiculous" and "mean" amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Drivers and traders in Dover say it's a "really bad time" to ask people to pay more - and they fear it will discourage people from visiting the high street.

Sandra Malho, boss of La Salle Verte café in Cannon Street, Dover, told KentOnline: "I think it's ridiculous.

"The only day we have free parking for people to use our business is a Sunday and if you do away with that we will lose more people coming to the town for shopping

"We are already struggling the way it is. If they start paying on Sunday it will get worse."

Dover District Council wants drivers to pay to use its car parks seven days a week, instead of the present six at some town centre locations in Dover, Deal and Sandwich.

Charging times could also rise to 10 hours a day instead of the existing nine.

It comes after fees in several car parks in the district leapt by almost a quarter last year, from £1.30 an hour to £1.60 - although most prices will not go up this time.

Neil Wiggins, co-owner of the Oriental Mini Mart in Market Square, Dover, says the Sunday fees will just make life harder for local businesses.

"The trading conditions in Dover and the town centre are difficult at the best of times," he said.

"For traders that are open on a Sunday, having the benefit of parking not being charged helps them out.

"Charging for parking on a Sunday is going to make life a bit more difficult for those shops and businesses.

"I don't know how much revenue the district council may earn through it but I would suggest it wouldn't be a huge amount."

John Angell, chairman of the local businesses group Dover Town Team, said: "Every business is going through a tough period,when perhaps higher costs in power, wages and business rates will have to be faced over the next few months.

" Any increase in parking charges, which could effect business would not be welcome."

But he agreed it was "good news" that most fees would stay the same.

Dover motorist Martin Turner says the new fees will be "one more thing people have to pay for".

"I think it's quite mean," he said. "We're being charged for absolutely everything else."

Jane Hitchcock, also from Dover, says the parking system at the St James retail park - which is free for the first hour - encourages people from outside the town to "come in to do some shopping".

Short-term parking is also free in places such as the town's Charlton Green shopping area.

But Miss Hitchcock says bringing in charges at places like Stembrook and Ladywell will put people off.

"I think it's terrible," she said.

"There are lot of businesses on the main street that are shut. It's not encouraging people into the area.

"As it is we haven't really got the proper shops in place so why we are charging for parking to me doesn't seem right.

"I think it's poor of the council to do that to people especially when fuel has gone up and we have the cost-of-living crisis. It's just a really bad time."

Roy Murphy, from Folkestone, regularly visits family in Dover.

He said: "I think the council makes enough money as it is and how can people continue to pay more when living costs are expensive?"

Natalie Howard, of Upminster in east London, also comes to Dover to see friends and relatives.

She said: "I think it's absolutely awful. It's the effect it has on people when all they are trying to do is bring money into the area by visiting shops and supporting local businesses.

"It will have a detrimental effect given the cost of living."

Dover District Council's cabinet will vote on the new charges at a meeting tomorrow morning.

An officers' report to members said: "We have examined both current usage levels and the charging policies in adjacent authorities.

"[This is] to ensure that the council’s charges are set at a level ensuring effective demand management of the available parking spaces would not disadvantage our town centres in comparison with neighbouring towns."

Officers have calculated that these changes could bring the council an extra income of about £167,000.

It says money made from these fees is spent on areas such as improvements to passenger transport services.

Figures from DDC show that other Kent councils already charge for parking at least from 8am to 6pm. Medway does it from 7am to 1am.

But their hourly costs can be as little as £1, as in Dartford, or £1.20, in Ashford and Swale. Others charge far more - for example £2.50 in Thanet.

One-hour parking fees for most council spaces in Dover district were £.1.10 until 2020/21 when they rose to £1.30, the first increase in four years.

They then went up to £1.60 for 2022/23, with DDC then arguing it needed to make up for lost income during the pandemic.

Asked about the latest proposals, a DDC spokesman said: "DDC continues to provide parking options that are among the cheapest in Kent. These proposals are still subject to cabinet/scrutiny committee call-in, but would bring consistency to DDC car parks.

"DDC already charges for Sunday parking in most council car parks. The council continues to work hard to balance the need to manage town centre traffic and meet growing cost pressures."

What changes are being proposed in the Dover district?

It is proposed that for 2023/24 the following locations, for of and on-street spaces, would have charges from Monday to Sunday, instead of the present Monday to Saturday. They would also be from 8am to 6pm in place of the present 9am to 6pm.

Fees stay at £1.60 a hour unless otherwise stated.

Deal: Beach Street (from Broad Street to South Street, fee stays at £1.80 an hour), (King Street (fee stays at £1.80 an hour), Prince of Wales Terrace (fee stays at £1.80 an hour), South Street, Town Hall, Victoria Road (fee stays at £1.80 an hour).

Dover: Albany Place ( up from £1 to £1.30 an hour), Bench Street, Castle Street (fee stays at £1.80 a hour), Ladywell, Maison Dieu, Norman Street, Pencester Road (off-street), Pencester Road (on-street, fee stays at £1.80 an hour), Russell Street (up from £1.60 to £1.80 an hour) Stembrook, Woolcomber Street.

Sandwich: Gazen Salts (up from £1.30 to £1.60 an hour), Guildhall (up from £1.50 to £1.60 an hour), Market Street (up from £1.60 to £1.80), New Street (up from £1.60 to £1.80).

The following places already take payment from Monday to Sunday. This would continue but the charges would be from 8am to 6pm instead of 9am to 6pm. Again the fees stay at £1..60 an hour unless otherwise stated.

Deal: Beach Street car park, Beach Street (Royal Hotel to Dolphin Street, up from £1.60 to £1.80 an hour), Middle Street, Stanhope Road, Union Road (up £1.30 an hour to £1.60), West Street.

Dover: Seafront (up from £1.60 to £1.80 an hour) Camden Crescent (fee stays at £1.60 an hour).

Sandwich: The Quay (fees stay at £1.60 an hour).

Car parking charges per hour in other parts of Kent

Dartford (8am to 8pm) £1

Ashford (7am to 6pm), Swale (8am to 6pm) £1.20

Gravesham (8am to 6pm) £1.30

Maidstone (King Street, 8am to 6.30pm) £1.35

Tonbridge and Malling (8am to 6pm) £1.40

Folkestone and Hythe (8am to 6pm), Tunbridge Wells (Great Hall, 8am to 6pm) £1.60

Medway (7am to 1am) £1.70

Canterbury (Castle Street, 7.30am to 9pm) £1.80

Sevenoaks (Bligh CP, 8.30am to 8.30pm) £2

Whitstable (Oyster CP, 8.30am to 9pm) £2.10

Canterbury (Whitefriars, 6am to 9pm), Thanet (8am to 6pm) £2.50

Canterbury (Queningate/Watling Street, 7.30am to 9pm) £3.20