MOTORISTS have told how they now rarely venture into York on an evening, following the introduction of after-hours parking charges.

People say they are tending to go elsewhere when heading out for a meal or to go to the cinema.

Elaine Gladstone, of Strother Close, Pocklington, told the Evening Press that previously it had not been unusual for her to visit York on an evening to eat with her husband and friends.

"Since the ridiculous parking charges have been introduced, we have not bothered coming into York," she said.

"We go elsewhere. It is not so much the fact that we have to pay an extra £6 to enjoy an evening out, it is the principle.

"My friends work in York and I shop in York, so we are paying to get in and out every day and this just adds insult to injury. There are plenty of other places to eat and shop, as we are now finding out.

"Having moved from Bristol some years ago, one of the best things about York is the fact that people actually live in the city centre and this leads to a safer environment.

"Does the council not realise that this will discourage people not only from enjoying the social aspect of the city, but also from locating and working there? Good luck with your campaign."

Steve Poile, of Tranby Avenue, York, said that he and his girlfriend had stopped coming into York as often in the evening, as a direct result of the charges, which work out at £1.30 per hour from 6pm until 9pm.

"We used to come three or four times a week, park near Walmgate and go to restaurants or City Screen. We now come in once a week, if that," Steve said.

"The sum effect of the council's actions are the loss of our patronage of city centre businesses, which if repeated by others will result in the loss of jobs and closing down of businesses, leading to loss of the vibrancy of the city centre."

He suggested that revenue could be raised instead by charging a small hotel room tax on tourists, of perhaps £2 a night, in line with the practice abroad in cities such as San Francisco.

Roger Kingston, of York, said he went to the Castlegate car park one evening recently, and it was virtually empty.

He met tourists trying to work out exactly what the evening charge was, who were incredulous that there was such a charge.

"In the end, all three of us said that the charging policy was incomprehensible and secondly we weren't going to pay it anyway so left," he said. "That's three potential tables lost to a restaurant."

Updated: 10:03 Wednesday, July 07, 2004