Parking charges are set to be introduced at The Strand Leisure Park, in Gillingham, after plans were approved by Medway councillors.

The move, approved at Medway Council’s budget meeting last night, will see parking meters installed at the park from the summer.

However, Labour members said the move would cause problems with parking for people living near the site.

Cllr Pat Cooper said: “People will park in the streets around and they will become clogged with parked cars.”

Not only will people who want to visit the leisure park or swim in its outdoor pool, now have to pay to park their vehicles.

Parking charges across Medway are also being increased.

In some areas, it will mean motorists will be charged more than double what they are currently paying.

The new charges will see 2-4 hours parking at short stay car parks across the Towns increase to £2.50, up from £1.40 in Chatham and Rochester; £1.10 in Rainham and £1.30 in Gillingham.

A 6-8 hour stop at long-stay car parks will more than double in some areas to £5.20.

Shorter stays will be hit by smaller rises, with 1-2 hours parking rising to £1.50.

The move was blasted by members of Medway Labour party who say the hike will drive people to shop at places where parking is free such as Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre and Bluewater.

Group Leader, Vince Maple said some of the increases go up by as much as 133% and that it would be cheaper for people to park in railway car parks than ones managed by the council.

He added: “This move will put high street shops out of business.”

He added the potential annual increase for workers who have to pay for parking would be about £600 a year at a time when wages are not going up.

Cllr Maple added: “If you are on the minimum wage, its an hour’s salary just to park.

“This will also hit NHS workers at our Healthy Living Centres and will encourage some to avoid parking charges by parking in the closest unrestricted roads, causing chaos for residents.”

Leader of the council, Cllr Alan Jarrett, said parking charges has been frozen for years and it was ironic Labour members were apposed to the hike when they had previously voted against freezing them.

He said the long-stay car parks were still cheaper than Network Rail’s, and parking was cheaper in Medway than most other regions.

He added: “We’ve had a seven-year freeze on parking charges.

“Having refused to use the opportunity to make any constructive comments regarding the budget, Medway Labour unveiled their policy to implement car parking charges for council staff, but oppose any increase across Medway, with the exception for at country parks.

“As usual, Medway Labour make no attempt to link their policies into a concerted strategy, and resort to protest at any cost, even if that means u-turning on their own shallow policies.”

Cllr Jarrett also revealed during his budget statement that £50,000 had been allocated for improvements at The Strand.

The money will be spent on improving the children’s play areas and improvements to the outdoor pools pumping system have already started.