A petition has been set up to stop new car parking charges been brought into Deal on Sundays.

It built up 672 names by yesterday.

The petition, posted onto change.org last Wednesday night Jul 17, wants “Dover District Council to reconsider their introduction of Sunday parking charges.”

It continues: “Deal is a vibrant town with a popular high street filled with independent shops, a historic pier that attracts anglers and sightseers from miles around.

“But that may all come under threat if Dover District Council continues with their ill-thought through plan to charge for car parking on a Sunday.”

The petition was launched by Deal town councillor Nick Tomaszewski after the district cabinet last Monday to introduced the charges in 12 car parks Dover, Deal and Sandwich.

Seven are in Deal, at Middle Street, South Street, Stanhope Road, the Town Hall, Sainsbury’s St Ethelburga’s and Park Street.

Labour’s Cllr Tomaszewski said: “I am on a committee for inward investment at Deal Town Council to look at how to enhance the town and make it better for visitors.

"This proposal to charge on Sundays is going against everything we are working towards.

"I’m incensed because this town welcomes a lot of people every year and that is how we’ve made it a success.

“ Our town motto is actually “welcome the stranger.” All the council is doing by imposing more charges onto people, is making it harder to attract visitors here.”

The planned charges have also been condemned on social media such as on the Facebook group Deal Watch Rejects.

Ken Sheppard wrote “Another way to penalise the local community who already pay high council tax.”

Meanwhile Ollie Goldsmith wrote: “Good-bye Deal Town. Everyone will go to Westwood Cross? All the shops plus more with free parking.”

Dover Labour councillor Peter Wallace had joined the vote against the plans by district scrutiny committee on Tuesday.

He said:“I love visiting Deal. The town has a great buzz and the high street is booming.

"I have never had a problem parking in Deal.

"I like that it is busy because that means people are enjoying the town and will want to come back.

“Parking should remain free on Sundays all across the district and we should be working more with councillors like Nick, who care about the town, so we can actually use the district council to support tourism and our high streets, not hinder them.”

The council argues that car parks are almost full at weekends and during special events there is even more demand.

It fears that not enough spaces could lead to a reduction of footfall in the town centre.

The proposals, later going out to public consultation, are also for seven-day charging for the on-street bays in Beach Street, Prince of Wales Terrace, King Street and Victoria Road.

Free Sunday parking will remain at the Union Road and ST George’s Road spaces.

Cllr Tomaszewski ‘s petition can be signed online at tinyurl.com/DealParkingChargesPetition.