A GORSEINON town councillor has condemned new parking charges.
Swansea Council has announced fees will be introduced from April 23 at the Lime Street car park in the town centre.
It is one of a number of formerly free car parks which will now cost drivers �4.50 a day to use.
Darren Thomas, Gorseinon East member of the town council, campaigned against the new charges.
He said: "I'm absolutely flabbergasted that Swansea Council has decided to introduce parking charges in Gorseinon. I first became a councillor in 1999, at a time when Gorseinon Town Council funded the extension and relaying of the Lime Street car park matched with contributions from the European Regional Development Fund and Swansea Council.
"We were given assurances that this car park would remain free for the people of Gorseinon in perpetuity." He added: "I am aware that parking enforcement is now a nice revenue stream for Swansea Council and I feel compelled to defend locals and visitors to Gorseinon from becoming soft targets."
More than 3,000 residents and traders signed a petition against car parking charges, saying they would have a detrimental effect on the town during difficult economic times.
Mr Thomas added: "In summer 2009, I handed two local petitions — one from local traders and one organised by local Plaid Cymru members totalling more than 3,000 names — into Swansea parking services.
"I'm astounded the council is set to ignore this statement of local opinion."
Swansea Council has also introduced charges at Sway Road and Treharne Road car parks in Morriston.
Swansea Council said the authority had frozen car parking charges for the past two years but had now had to take some "very difficult decisions".
Hourly charges are set to rise by 10p or 20p at almost all sites but some motorists face bigger hikes — all day parking at the city centre Clarence Road site is to jump from �6 to �7.
The cost of using the council-run Park and Ride services from Landore, Fforestfach and Fabian Way into the city will also increase, from �2.20 to �2.50.
However, winter charges for short-term parking at Gower car parks are expected to be cut, under plans going before Swansea Council cabinet today.
A spokeswoman for Swansea Council said: "Since the last increase in May 2009 inflation — as measured by the Retail Price Index — has been 7.5 per cent, and VAT has increased by 2.5 per cent. All councils have to make very difficult decisions in these unprecedented times, and charges do need to reflect the effects of inflation."
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