More than 100 Newport businesses have issued a call for the Isle of Wight Council to review and cut car parking charges in the county town.

In an open letter to the Isle of Wight Council and MP Bob Seely, Newport Business Association (NBA) says business is being driven out of the town and jobs being put at risk by the high and inflexible cost of parking.

It points out that it is between 40 and 60 per cent more expensive to park in Newport than in central Southampton.

NBA says it recognises parking revenues form an essential part of local authority income, and that an imaginative approach to parking can bring incomes for both Isle of Wight Council and local traders in Newport.

Read the letter in full here.

John McLaughlin, NBA chair, said: “We know car parking has a major influence on where people decide to go and spend time.

"We have looked at examples from other towns in the UK that have taken a new approach to car parking and found that it brought customers back to enjoy the town centre.”

The NBA proposal is to offer some additional free on-street parking, for a limited time, plus a first hour free in the main car parks.

NBA also believes all car parks should be long stay, arguing that this is something shoppers are looking for.

To encourage people to stay even longer in the town centre, the NBA thinks the idea of a £5 all day fee should be trialled.

It says results in other towns show people often choose to stay longer than just the free parking time and so pay for extra time.

It also brings people back into town who don’t usually visit.

NBA are writing to the local authority to request trialling these ideas for four months this autumn.

Mark Horton, from French Franks, said: “Parking charges in Newport do not represent value for money. Charges are on average 50 per cent higher than parking in Central Southampton.

"We hear everyday how these prices are driving businesses and shoppers out of the town centre. We all want to see a recovering and vibrant county town.

"This cannot be achieved through current charging levels or proposed future increases for town centre parking.”