Businesses and residents in Penarth and Barry are calling for a rethink on plans to bring in new parking charges.

Vale of Glamorgan Council wants to start charging at certain car parks in the county and introduce new on-street car parking charges to Barry Island and Penarth seafronts.

Petitions have launched opposing the charges in both areas and a group of businesses on Barry Island have written to the council calling on it to engage with traders on the matter.

Owner of Sid's Restaurant and Bar With Rooms on The Esplanade in Penarth, Sid Sethi, said he doesn't think charging for parking on Penarth seafront is a good idea "for now".

Sid said: "[If] they put the parking charges in winter time no-one will be around here and business will be affected a lot."

Vale of Glamorgan Council's cabinet members agreed in principle to the introduction of new parking charges at a meeting on January 9.

On-street car parking charges at Barry Island will affect Paget Road, Breaksea Drive, Friars Road, and Station Approach Road.

Parking charges at Penarth seafront will affect The Esplanade, Cliff Hill, Cliff Parade, and sections of Beach Road and Bridgeman Road.

Sid said bringing in parking charges might work during the summer for a few months but not year-round.

He added: "What we need in Penarth [is] we need a car park. We need a car park and that should be charged.

"You park in a car park like Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay. You park there, your car is safe, you pay the money, you pay and eat."

Giuseppe Scarico of Romeo's by the Sea, also on The Esplanade, said: "It is going to be too expensive for people who want to come for two or three hours to have a meal."

The proposed charges are as follows:

• Up to two hours – £2.50
• Up to three hours – £4
• Up to four hours – £6
• Up to five hours – £8
• All day – £10

Giuseppe said trade is "very important in the winter months", adding: "If people have got to pay a £6 charge to come out for a meal it will make them go somewhere else."

A Change.org petition calling for the proposed charges at Penarth seafront to be scrapped has so far gained 1,244 signatures.

Conservative Vale of Glamorgan Council ward councillor for Plymouth, Cllr Rhys Thomas, called the proposed charges "completely unnecessary" and said they would discourage people from visiting The Esplanade.

One concern raised by businesses was the time it took for cabinet members to agree to the parking charges.

Cllr Thomas said: "It says it all that the Vale Council couldn't even be bothered to do a proper consultation on this and have tried to rush these parking charges through.

"It's an insult to local businesses and the people of Penarth.

"The Labour council should halt their attack on Penarth businesses and let the Esplanade prosper, which will benefit everyone in our town."

Plaid Cymru group leader at Vale of Glamorgan Council, Cllr Ian Johnson, accused the council of "trying to railroad" the proposals through in "just a few days", adding they would have a "massive impact".

Labour cabinet members said the income generated from car parking charges will help the council maintain facilities and a beach cleansing routine at popular seaside spots.

The council also said parking season tickets will continue to be available for residents, traders, and other frequent visitors.

A Vale of Glamorgan Council scrutiny committee meeting on the proposed parking charges will take place on Tuesday, January 28.

Council leader Cllr Lis Burnett said all concerns can be aired and responded to at this meeting.

Not all businesses see the proposed charges in Penarth as a bad idea.

Sidali Rachdi of Severn View Bar Restaurant on The Esplanade

Sidali Rachdi of Severn View Bar Restaurant, which has been open on The Esplanade for three months now, said parking charges could be good for business.

Sidali, who also lives in Penarth, said many customers struggle to find a parking spot along the seafront.

He added: "Every one of our customers who booked on the weekend, they were half an hour late.

"They come to tell us: 'We are trying to park'… and they try to find somewhere, drop… their kids in here and one of them goes to drive somewhere [to park].

"It is a big issue. I think it is the capacity.".

Owner of Barrybados in Paget Road, Louis Ross, launched the petition opposing the on-street parking charges on Barry Island.

The petition has gained more than 3,100 signatures so far.

A letter sent by Louis on behalf of a number of other businesses to the council has called on the council to re-consider its plans.

In the letter Louis said he was also concerned about the speed at which the proposals were given cabinet approval and criticised the council for not consulting with residents or businesses on the plans.

A campaign was launched in 2019 after similar council plans to introduce parking charges at Barry Island were announced.

The local authority eventually decided not to go ahead with them.

Louis said: "Last time, in 2019, this went on for months. There was public consultations, there were meetings with traders and everything.

"It went back and forth to scrutiny and the public had the chance to make their case and obviously it got overturned.

"This time it seems to me that they have come back from the Christmas holidays after Gavin & Stacey was aired, they have seen how busy it was… and they have whipped these plans up within days to try and force it through… to get it into place for the new season.

"That is my opinion."

Glenn Griffith of Whitmore and Jackson, in Friars Road on Barry Island, said business owners were "really stressed" about the proposed parking charges.

He added: "A lot of our customers, especially during the winter months, they literally park up… walk into the cafe [and have] breakfast, lunch, whatever it may be.

"Now that is going to cost them an extra £3 or £4, whatever the charging fees will be. I am sure it is going to put people off.

"I think this is more aimed at the day-trippers who are parking up all day long."

John Zeraschi, who owns Giovanni's at Barry Island, said the parking charge proposals will "put businesses backwards" and "drive people away".

"I haven't been down here a couple of years, I have been down here a lifetime," said John.

"I know we get the visitors in the summer… but you can't rely on that.

"You have got to rely on your regular customers, whether they come from Caerphilly or Mountain Ash or Newport or wherever, and when they come down here the one benefit they have got is they can park down here for at least two hours free and have a coffee and go for a walk."

As well as on-street parking charges Vale of Glamorgan Council's cabinet members agreed to the introduction of parking charges at the following car parks:

• The Knap Car Park (Barry) – 164 spaces
• Bron Y Mor (Barry) – 67 spaces
• Penarth Cliff Walk – 177 spaces
• Portabello (Ogmore-by-Sea) – 25 spaces
• West Farm (Southerndown) – 22 spaces

Speaking at the Vale of Glamorgan Council cabinet meeting on January 9 the council's cabinet member for neighbourhood and building services, Cllr Mark Wilson, said the local authority wants to maintain the "high quality and high standards" of resorts like Barry Island.

He added: "Of course that comes with a cost and we want to support that cost."

Speaking at the same meeting Labour councillor Ruba Sivagnanam said the council was trying to protect residents and coastal areas through the new charges.

Cllr Sivagnanam, who is also a Vale Council cabinet member, said seaside hotspots in the Vale faced "wear and tear" throughout the year which had to be dealt with and paid for.