A proposal to introduce charges to a town where on-street parking is currently free is raising safety fears.

Tonbridge and Malling council is considering introducing charges to West Malling in order “to bring it in line with the rest of the borough”.

On-street parking in Swan Street and the High Street would cost 60p for half an hour, rising to £3.80 for four hours in the future.

The fee would apply between 8am and 8pm.

At the moment, on-street parking is free but restricted to one hour. Fees already apply in the car parks.

The proposal is part of a raft of changes that would also see the introduction of charges at the two Bailey Bridge car parks in Aylesford and Martin Square car park in Larkfield, all currently free.

But some parents feel the introduction of charges in West Malling will have knock-on effects to parking outside the primary school in Norman Road.

One parent with a daughter in Year 6 said: “The parking situation outside the school is already challenging.

“A lot of parents stop in the High Street and walk their children to school. They won’t want to do that if they have to pay every time.

“There will be more cars stopping in Norman Road, with children getting out.

“We’re very worried about our children’s safety.”

There is a small lane alongside the school with some free parking, but that is often filled by staff from local shops.

The borough council is asking the public for their views on the proposed charges.

There are two consultations running simultaneously – one for off-street parking, ie car parks, which can be accessed here, and one for on-street parking which can be accessed here.

Both run until Sunday, January 7.

The mum said: “The introduction of parking charges is also bound to have a detrimental effect on businesses in West Malling High Street.

“People will be unable to afford to shop locally, which is a huge government drive, as people will travel to shops where there are no parking charges.

“It will also provide barriers to access healthcare services such as the pharmacy; fewer people will use the library.”

“It's a huge issue for local residents and local businesses.”

Tonbridge and Malling council said it had so far received more than 2,800 responses to the consultation.

One of those was from Tracey Crouch, MP for Chatham and Aylesford.

She is objecting principally to the introduction of charges at the car parks in Larkfield and Aylesford.

She said traders in Larkfield were very concerned at the likely negative impact on their trade, and said many were small businesses who had still not yet fully recovered from the effects of Covid.

In addition, the Martin Square car park was used by staff and patients of the Thornhills Medical Practice.

At Aylesford, she said the Bailey Bridge car parks were predominately used by residents who didn’t have the benefit of any on-street parking near the homes. Additionally, it was used by staff and parents of St Peter’s Primary School who would now have to pay every time they dropped their children off to school.

She said: “There is a view that this is simply a money-grabbing exercise, pushed by councillors from elsewhere in the borough, with no thought to the impact on local businesses or residents.”