AN INCREASE in car parking charges in the city will be ‘devastating’ for ‘struggling traders’, local businesses are said.

Yesterday, at Oxfordshire County Council’s full council meeting, it agreed and finalised the proposed budget for 2022/23.

This included plans for car parking charges in Jericho set to treble to bring the charges in line with other city centre charges, which are also set to go up in April.

In the city centre, car parking managed by the county council costs £5.70 for up to an hour and £8.90 for up to two hours, fees that will go up to £6 and £12 from April.

In Jericho, it currently costs £3.90 for up to an hour but visitors can park for up to three hours

A spokesperson for Jericho Traders said: “This will be devastating for Jericho's 54 businesses who are already struggling".

“When we were told that the council wanted to increase our parking charges to £15 for three hours, we thought there must be a mistake.

“Many Jericho businesses are genuinely struggling. We struggle every day.”

Jericho is not the only place set to see car parking rises in the city.

Oxford City Council’s budget, which is set to be approved on February 16, would see car parking charges in the city rise by 50p an hour.

Businesses in Jericho have highlighted that there is no public transport taking people directly to Walton Street and have raised concerns that those on the edges of the city, who drive to Jericho, will refuse to pay to park there.

The spokesperson added: “This kind of decision has a huge impact on people like us and all it would have taken is a bit of collaboration and we could have found a better solution and it wouldn’t have caused the anxiety which the current situation has.

“It was all so avoidable.”

Graham Jones, who is a member ROX, a campaign group backing Oxford businesses, spoke at yesterday’s council meeting, where the budget was agreed.

During his presentation, he said: “We understand your desire to improve the air quality in Oxford and to encourage people to cycle, walk or catch buses.

“However, your council talks about fairness but is it fair to those who live in villages that are poorly served by buses, services that are likely to be reduced further; by those that are physically infirm and unable to walk great distances; those that need to visit by car but cannot afford to pay £12.00 for a stop of 65 minutes and on rainy days even the most ardent cyclists and walkers?”