TOWN centre traders have vowed to fight any moves to introduce parking charges in Barry’s retail areas.

Traders have reiterated their opposition to the introduction of any fees after it came to light that the council were once again considering the idea.

The Vale council cabinet has agreed to look into developing “proposals for the implementation of car parking charges across the Vale” during this financial year.

The move is part of the ‘Income Generation and Charging Opportunities Strategy 2017-2020’, which is designed to help increase the amount of additional revenue brought in by the council.

Two years ago similar plans were rejected after a wave of negative feedback from the public and local businesses.

Holton Road traders association chairman, Dave Elliot said: “I can’t believe they are starting to talk about it again after it was proved Holton Road was better off not charging for it. We are going to fight it with a petition.”

Vice chairwoman of the association, Rachael Williams, added her opposition.

She said: “If the local authority is going to allow free out-of-town parking, they need to give us free parking in the town.”

Alison Storey, of the Vinyl Frontier, in Holton Road, said parking charges would have a “massive impact” on the business.

She said: “We are the only record shop in Barry and in the Vale as well, so if people wanted to go elsewhere they’d have to go to Cardiff, but saying that they will. It won’t be great for us.

“With us being this far down, they have to know we’re here. A lot of people already don’t come this far down.”

Yiannie Asprou, of Asprou Barbers, Holton Road, said: “It’s like with the incinerator as well.

“Decisions are made by people in the Vale, outside of Barry, who don’t live here or have any interest in the town itself.

“Eighty per cent of the population of Barry are working class and below.

“These are the types of people who come into the town centre to shop and these aren’t people who can really afford parking charges.

“It’s bad. The town as it is now is a wreck. Hardly anybody comes in here anyway – businesses are struggling. It will turn into a ghost town again like it was ten years. It’s not good news. All it’ll do, if they bring it in, is to shoot themselves in the foot.”