'It's as though we are being charged to pray'

A churchgoer who objects to a proposed increase in a city's Sunday parking charges has said that the fees may put some off attending services.

Sue Gilbert, a congregation member at Salisbury Methodist Church in Wiltshire, argued "it's as though we are being charged to pray".

Church leaders in the city have also spoken out against the plans, which would replace the £1.90 all-day Sunday flat rate with a fee of approximately £5.90 for three hours.

Wiltshire Council is set to hold a consultation on the plans. It said feedback would be "carefully reviewed" before any decision.

As part of the proposals, chargeable hours would be extended to 07:00 – 19:00, across the county.

Reverend John Proctor, of St Osmund's Church in Salisbury, said he had timed a number of weekday evening services and activities around the current chargeable hours, which run to 18:00.

He said that between 500 and 600 churchgoers attend St Osmund's over four services on a Sunday.

"Those who are struggling already will have to decide what they can give to the church to cover all the running costs and all the activities we do," he said.

Philip Richter, pastoral lead at Salisbury Methodist Church, said the plans would mean a "huge increase" in parking fees for his congregation.

The short stay car park closest to the church – Salt Lane – is usually £1.90 for a whole Sunday but would cost £4 more for a three-hour stay under the plans, he said.

Adding to the issue is that bus provision is poor, said Richter.

He said many churchgoers have to drive in from nearby villages, and that the park-and-ride service does not run on a Sunday.

Wiltshire Council's cabinet member for highways, Martin Smith, said: "We want to reassure people that these concerns are being taken seriously as part of the wider [parking] review."

He explained that the proposals are part of a "financially sustainable" parking plan, and that tariffs have not changed since 2022.

Updating them "is essential to support the long term viability of services such as public transport, rural buses and car park maintenance", he said.

He added that the plans recognise that days of worship vary across faiths.

The consultation is expected to begin in the next month.

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