Pool users must still pay to park

COUNCILLORS have decided not to scrap car parking fees for swimmers using the Seahaven Pool.

COUNCILLORS have decided not to scrap car parking fees for swimmers using the Seahaven Pool.

Lewes District Council had considered reimbursing parking charges paid by pool users because leisure centres in Seaford, Peacehaven and Lewes all have free parking.

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However, as there is no car park at the Seahaven Pool swimmers have to use the Newhaven town centre multi-story which charges 65p for an hour's parking.

A council study revealed that 16 people per day were using the pool when car park charges were in effect just five per cent of the average daily users. It was also discovered that since parking fees rose from 40p to 65p last year the number of swims sold had dropped by seven per cent.

However, a council officer's report stated that there could be other contributing factors to the fall such as a swimming price rise in April.

Based on reimbursing 16 swimmers per day for car parking the council would lose 3,861 in income a year.

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A council spokesman said members agreed not to refund the car parking charge because too few people arrived by car.

'There weren't enough users to make it a reasonable option,' she said.

It was also thought that a subsidised car parking scheme would encourage more people to rely on cars, worsening congestion and pollution.