A RADICAL shake-up of Romsey’s car parking facilities is on the cards and it’s aimed at attracting more shoppers and tourists to the town.

One option being explored is a multi-storey car park in the town centre on one of the council’s existing car parks.

This option is likely to be years away and will have to be investigated by the council’s Romsey Future Project.

The main thrust of the review is creating 98 extra long-stay parking spaces at Romsey Rapids in a bid to free up short- and medium-term spaces for shoppers and visitors in the town centre.

Council chiefs have earmarked £270,000 for this project.

The council says motorists would probably be charged £3 a day to park there and officers estimate income would be around £63,000 a year. Another site being looked at for extra parking is at the town’s railway station on land that was occupied by Romsey Reclamation.

Borough officers are negotiating with Network Rail officials to see whether it’s feasible to create 57 spaces there.

It’s also planned to introduce parking charges at the borough’s Romsey offices at the former Magistrates Court. Currently there are 15 spaces for customer parking and the plan is to retain four and use the rest for short-medium stay pay and display.

Borough cabinet members have agreed to push ahead with the proposals which will add to the existing 627 pay and display parking spaces available in Romsey.

Deputy borough leader and cabinet spokesman for planning and transport, Martin Hatley, said: “With all the additional housing requirements in the Romsey area up to 2029 there will be a need for more parking spaces.

“People already have a perception that there is a car parking shortage in Romsey and we don’t know how many are put off coming to the town because of it. We will be adding low-key signage to other car parks when the one people go to use is full. We will have to see if this helps.”

Mr Hatley added: “Romsey is one of the cheapest places in Hampshire to park. We still have free parking after 4pm and it’s free on Sundays. Our aim is to free up short- and medium-stay car parking in the town centre for shoppers and tourists.” Welcoming the parking review, Romsey’s Abbey ward borough councillor, Clive Collier, said: “It’s good to see the Romsey Future Project will be looking at the needs of the town including additional parking for the next 20 years.

“Freeing town centre short-term parking spaces for shoppers will encourage more people to come to Romsey and this must be good for the town’s long-term viability.

“I would like to see a layered car park with around 100 spaces in the bus station area with shops and a bus-coach park.”