Poll: Should there be a charge for Sunday parking?

Following yesterday's debate from Wolverhampton's top vicar voicing his opinion on the Sunday parking prices, we'd like to hear what you have to say.

Reverend David Wright, rector at the city's main church, said the 17 per cent fall can be traced back to April when Wolverhampton City Council brought in Sunday fees for the first time.

Normal parking charges now apply on Sundays, meaning drivers have to pay fees ranging from 60p for an hour to £4 for four hours.

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Reverend Wright said: "We have found that this has affected us very quickly. We have kept monitoring the congregation numbers and it is currently around 17 per cent lower than when we compare it to before the charges were introduced.

"There is limited car parking in the city anyway and the charges are certainly putting people off.

"I think if it is affecting us, it must be hitting the retailers."

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Sunday parking charges were introduced as the city council battles to save £123 million over the next five years.

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Wolverhampton City Council spokesman Tim Clark said: "It is perhaps unwise to jump to conclusions that the introduction of moderate car parking charges on a Sunday are to blame for falling church attendance. After all, it costs just £1 to park for two hours very near to the church. The fact is that despite being one of the top 20 biggest cities in the UK, Wolverhampton remains one of the cheapest places to park. In these times of austerity the council simply doesn't have the money to offer our clean, safe, well-maintained car parks for free."