Plans to axe free parking will ruin one of the borough’s best economies, business owners have warned.

More than 1,500 people have signed a petition against Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s proposals to scrap the one-hour free parking scheme in Paddock Wood.

The plans were put forward in a finance and governance meeting, much to the dismay of the community, and this week cabinet members agreed to put the plans out to public consultation for four weeks.

Changes to parking in the area would bring in £408,620 across the borough, officials have revealed.

It would see the first hour of parking raised to 50p and up to two hours rise from 40p to 70p in Commercial Road East and West.

A three-hour stay would rise from £1.40 to £1.60, while four hours would increase from £1.70 to £1.90.

Up to six hours would see a rise from £3.20 to £3.40, while all-day parking would remain the same at £8.70.

Meanwhile, the council says a separate consultation will be held about introducing parking charges in Dunorlan Park in Tunbridge Wells.

Richard Barsley, who owns Barsley’s Department Store in Commercial Road, said: "I appreciate that we’re all under financial pressure but it’s a fundamental change in the aspect of parking.

"In 2017 the council altered it, taking away the second hour which also used to be free."

Richard, who is also chairman of Paddock Wood Business Association, said: "It’ll make a big difference, they haven’t asked people at all, it will affect trade.

"After the second hour was taken away, the business association did a survey which showed a massive difference to dwell time, people have less opportunity for leisure time.

"The council are just imposing this, we understand changes are necessary but this will stop customers from coming in.

"We have a successful economy in Paddock Wood, show me another town centre in the borough where every store is in business, the loss will be to the local community.

"The council say they want a partnership with the community but their idea of a partnership is that we get together and have a chat and in the end they do what they want.

"Paddock Wood is a retired area, most people don’t use their phones, once people leave to update their ticket the reality is that they will leave.

"People already park on double yellow lines illegally, and if the charges come we will have a lot more.

"I understand that the council needs money, but we don’t need these draconian charges, they shouldn’t punish the community.

"We need to have a full discussion."

One resident of the town believes hiking the price up in the town centre will drive the public "elsewhere".

Sue Lovell, 47, thinks the price hike will see shoppers go somewhere else.

She said: "I often go to Paddock Wood town centre and use the free hour if I’ve got a quick trip to make or need to go to the café.

"I do understand that they need to recoup costs but I fear people will flock to the nearby Waitrose car park which has two hours free parking and clog that up.

"The borough councillors get wages themselves, why don’t they just cut costs from that?"

Council leader Ben Chapelard said the council was left with an "unsustainable" £1m deficit this year from the previous administration, increasing to £2.6m next year, and difficult decisions needed to be made.

He said: "The number one priority for the new Borough Partnership administration is safeguarding the council’s finances.

"The previous Conservative administration left Tunbridge Wells Borough Council with a deficit of nearly £1m this year and increasing to £2.6m next year.

"The financial situation we have inherited is unsustainable, the Borough Partnership needs to make difficult but responsible choices to protect the council’s services.

"We are trying to reduce this year’s budget deficit with our Inherited Deficit Reduction Plan, this involves reviewing the council’s income and costs to determine where we can make changes, parking charges in the borough have not increased since 2017.

"No incoming administration, no new council leader wants to have to deal with the multi-million black hole that we have inherited from the Conservatives, if we want to protect council services, we must firstly safeguard the council’s finances."

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council held a cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss sales, fees, charges and car parking across the borough.

Information on the parking charge proposals consultation will be released on Monday on the council's website.

Councillors also agreed to consider disposing of "surplus assets" including Tunbridge Wells sites Mount Pleasant Avenue Car Park, Great Hall Yard Car Park, the Gateway and Land at Warwick Park.