THE allocation of season tickets in Alton's car parks has been branded "a lottery" and one which can result in drivers having to pay twice for a space.

The accusation has been made by an Alton company director who is criticising East Hampshire District Council for new parking arrangements which fail to meet the needs of the local business community.

John Male of ADS Technology has 20 employees based in a High Street office backing on to Lady Place car park.

For the past eight years Mr Male has been able to purchase season ticket spaces in Lady Place and has had no complaints.

As from this April, however, the arrangements for season ticket allocation was changed with the council issuing just 30 per cent of all spaces in EHDC owned car parks in Alton and Petersfield to season ticket holders.

The result is "a lottery" with those who fail to secure a site of their choice being forced to park elsewhere.

In the case of ADS Technology, employees are now having to park in the Turk Street car park behind Woolworth which, although only a stone's throw away from the office, is well used by shoppers and constantly full.

As a result, those employees who may, for whatever reason, arrive late, or who have to use their cars during the day, have been finding that they cannot secure a space and, since season ticket are not transferable, are having to pay to park elsewhere.

Nor can they reclaim the additional expense.

John Male is frustrated by the change in circumstance. He points out that he pays £100,000 in business rates a year and £5,000 for car park permits, and still his staff are wasting on average quarter of an hour a day waiting for car parking spaces to become available.

Commenting on the matter, EHDC parking and highways manager, John Elson, was not surprised the new arrangements were causing problems.

In confirming that 30 per cent of all spaces are now allocated to season ticket holders, he explained that applications for permits had been taken from the beginning of March and had been dealt with on a lottery type basis.

If there had been any spaces left after April 1 they had been allocated on a first come, first serve basis. But Lady Place car park was popular, and the allocation snapped up with many people forced to go elsewhere.

"We were aware that spaces would be limited and that we would have problems once spaces had gone," said Mr Elson who told The Herald that business people in Petersfield had also complained about the system.

He further confirmed that if there were no places available in their allocated season ticket car park then it would be down to the individual to pay for a daily ticket which would not be refundable.

"When we sell a season ticket we don't guarantee a space," said Mr Elson.

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Since the matter has raised concern in both towns, Mr Elson said that a district council working group had been set up to look into the matter.