Independent traders say losing free parking would be the death of their high street as council bosses consider introducing pay-and-display machines.

Currently, motorists can park without charge for up to two hours on certain streets around Folkestone, Sandgate, Hythe and New Romney – but this could change from April.

Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) is set to discuss introducing charges of up to £2 an hour in six streets in Folkestone, including Bouverie Square, Bouverie Road West, Christ Church Road, Cheriton Place, Manor Road and Sandgate Road. This would apply between 8am and 6pm.

For Hythe High Street, Sandgate High Street and New Romney High Street, the charge would be £1.80.

The council says doing this could improve traffic flow, encourage drivers to be more compliant with the rules, raise vital funds and encourage more sustainable modes of transport.

But business owners in the towns say getting rid of free parking would have a huge impact on footfall.

Halit Guner, owner of Sunshine Bistro in Folkestone, says extra costs could put people off coming into the high street altogether.

“We know people are struggling with the cost of living as it is – to ask people to pay more for parking is going to impact all town centre businesses,” he said.

“We managed to get through Covid, but now there are more costs so we are really struggling.

“To charge customers for car parks as well... it is like telling people not to come to town.”

One resident hoping to fight against the proposed changes is Martyn Jackson who was part of the movement to get the two-hour free bays being introduced in Folkestone 12 years ago.

He is now a member of the Folkestone Independent Retailers Regeneration Group (FIRRG) which was set up when a £3 million grant was provided by central government to regenerate the town.

The former business owner says removing the free parking will have a devastating effect.

"The free parking on Sandgate Road has been a lifesaver for the independent business community and now they want to take it away," he said.

"If they want a boarded up town, with graffiti and antisocial behaviour then they are going the right way about it.

"I took the council on when they were going to put in parking meters all the way through from Folkestone, Sandgate, Hythe, New Romney, Littlestone and Greatstone.

"We fought them long and hard and we made our case in the chamber.

"After a full council vote, it was unanimously agreed to scrap the whole thing.

"We were given a guarantee there would be no further implementation of paid parking bays.

"I was completely shocked when I heard they were bringing this back.

"The council has to save £4 million, but introducing paid-for bays is not the way to do that and we are going to fight it again.”

Mr Jackson points out that at Ashford Outlet, where there is a wide array of designer brands, it costs £2 to park for four hours – while at Folkestone’s Park Farm Industrial Estate, which is home to a Sainsbury’s, McDonald’s and other shops, parking is free.

He said: "Why would anyone want to pay £2 to come to Folkestone town centre when they can go to Park Farm for free?

"The high street is the heartbeat of the community in any town and if the shops are boarded up, what is the future?

"The cost is irrelevant, the fact that they want to take away free parking will mean the death of our town."

Trader Joy White who owns Channel Uniforms in Sandgate Road says the thought of the changes worries her.

“My customers always park out there if they can,” she said.

“Anytime something restricts people, you do lose footfall.

“£2 is steep. I can't imagine many people being happy to pay that.

“I can't put my prices up by £2 an item so why can they?”

In Hythe, the high street closes to cars from 11am to 3pm each day but one-hour free bays are in place outside of those hours, something which Sue Mullane, owner of Apple J-ax, says customers rely on.

“Before and after those times, people can park which is handy for those with limited mobility,” she explained.

“It would do a lot of harm to the high street and traders who rely on people being able to drive through to pick things up.

“They might go somewhere else where they don't have to pay, or order online.

“There are places like Waitrose where you can park for two hours for free but we do rely on footfall and we're not going to get it.”

FHDC wants to introduce charges for parking along the entire length of the high street in the town.

Diane Richardson, who owns Dotty Di's and also chairs the Hythe Business and Tourism Association, says she will oppose the proposals.

She said: “Charges would discourage people coming into Hythe and the whole point of the high street is so people come in and shop.

“The parking charges in the car parks are already stopping people coming into Hythe because they charge so much that people try to park in residential streets, which upsets the residents.”

Proposals to introduce charges in shopping streets in the district were first discussed in 2010.

At the time, traders raised concerns over the impact it could have on the retail climate and the plans were soon scrapped.

Now the council says there is “no clear evidence” that free parking in roads close to town centres has a positive impact on footfall.

But Patricia Rolfe, former mayor of New Romney and co-owner of hardware store W and E Rolfe and Son, says she disagrees with this.

“There have been numerous times when the district council in all its forms has wanted to impose parking charges and local businesses and residents have strongly opposed that each time,” she said.

“High streets are integral to the community ethos. It is far more than just a business centre – it is a community hub.

“If you impose yet another barrier to people coming by charging for parking, it will kill the high street when we need to be supporting it.

“When I was mayor we lost the local bank and that significantly affected New Romney.

“Now the cost of living crisis is really challenging all businesses.

“The cost of the parking is irrelevant – any price is too much.

“If shops close they will lose income through business rates.”

In New Romney, the charges would be in place along the high street from Sainsbury’s down to the junction with West Street.

Steve James, owner of Romney Cycles, says he can see charges having a negative impact on passing trade.

“We need to encourage people into the town and free parking is the way to do it,” said the business owner of eight years.

“With a shop like mine, passing trade is the key and free parking is important for that.

“People will go to Sainsbury's instead of coming to their local high street.”

If introduced, the authority predicts the charges could generate an income of between £230,000 and £384,000 a year.

But it would have to spend £70,000 on installing the pay and display machines, signage and new road markings.

People who have permits will be unaffected.

The minimum waiting time would be 30 minutes, while the maximum waiting time would still be two hours and the charges would apply from 8am until 6pm every day.

Double parking, particularly in Sandgate Road, Folkestone is another reason the council is thinking of introducing pay and display charges.

In the agenda for its meeting on November 15, the authority says drivers tend to double park in the hope that free parking may soon be available, which is a big cause of congestion and pollution.

By introducing charges, the hope is that drivers will stop doing this and will instead look for spaces in designated car parks which will offer a cheaper rate.

Over in Sandgate, Jacqui Wilkinson, owner of Encore Dress Agency says if free parking is removed, she would consider moving her business after 23 years.

She said: “Two hours is all you need in Sandgate and my customers rely on it.

“£1.80 is ridiculous – this is not Canterbury or London.

“That money could buy children something to eat.

“I have been here 23 years and I'd like to continue being here – but charging more for parking would make me think twice.”

A few doors down, David Watson, owner of The Dog House coffee shop fears charges would put people off stopping for a coffee.

“At the moment two hours is enough to stop off, have something to eat and get going again, so I would be against changing that,” he said.

“It sounds like they are charging more than what the car parks charge. You would think they would keep it consistent.”

Under the council’s plans, charges would be introduced along the main road through the village, from the junction with Lister Way up to the junction with the Sir John Moore memorial on the esplanade.

Mr Watson added: “Before lockdown it used to be one hour free, then it changed to two and it has been much better because one hour wasn't long enough.

“I'm not a big fan of traffic wardens, but that would solve the issue of people staying longer than they should without having to charge people.”

But FHDC says limited waiting bays are tricky, and take an “enormous amount of time” for wardens to enforce.

The authority also says anecdotal evidence suggests that in Folkestone, Sandgate, and New Romney, short-stay parking is abused by drivers who stay longer than they should, or move from one bay to the next.

The council hopes the new proposals will change this as the drivers will only be able to purchase parking for up to the maximum period allowed.

If approved by cabinet members on 15 November, a consultation is due to be launched by the end of the month.