THE manager of a Chepstow supermarket has hit back over claims new car parking charges at his store are unfair.

Jason Edwards, who is in charge at the Co-Operative Food store on Thomas Street, said new car parking charges that have seen motorists given tickets since the middle of last month were implemented to stop people using spaces but not the supermarket.

The first hour’s parking is still free in the car park – but there is a now a £1 charge for a stay between one and two hours.

This is refunded when a customer spends £10 or more at the shop.

All car park users must collect a ticket.

Previously parking was free for up to one and a half hours.

He said: “The car park is a bit quieter so that people who want to shop here can because we have had lots of feedback from people who want to shop here and they can’t get a space.

“The car park was being abused big time.

“We have had complaints from people who have been given a ticket but no negative feedback really.

“Most people seem to be in agreement with it.

“At the moment people don’t understand that it is a pay and display and they have to get a ticket.

“They can still use the car park.

“The first hour is still free and the second they have to pay for.

“It was an hour and a half free and the problem was that they were using it not to use at the store but in the town.

“They can still do that for an hour.

“We’re not stopping them from doing that.

“It frees up the car park for people who want to use the store.”

Ron Bullen, of Inner Loop Road, told the Free Press a £70 fine was dropped after he complained the changes to the car park were badly advertised.

He said: “I agree that it’s not unreasonable instituting a charge for the reimbursing customers.

“My complaint was that they didn’t do it very clearly and when you get a change in circumstances and when people use them habitually but infrequently they are misled.

“They should have made it very, very clear that there was a change in circumstances and they didn’t do that.”

But a Horizon Parking spokesman said the company, which polices charges for the supermarket chain, has tried its best to make the changes as clear as possible for shoppers.

He said: “All we are trying to do for these stores is make parking as easy as it can be.

“We are trying to do everything we can to make people aware of the change.”