A car park which cost almost £875,000 to build is being shunned by drivers looking for a place to park in Ashford town centre.

This year Dover Place car park is expected to fall £50,000 short of its target income.

The car park near Station Road opened in April and was built with government funding. It is run by Ashford Borough Council which charges drivers to park there to pay for the running costs.

But just £8,883 has been brought in so far this financial year meaning unless it suddenly becomes more popular, it will fall far short of the expected £80,000 budgeted.

The figures were obtained by the Kentish Express under the Freedom of Information Act after noticing the 363 space car park is often empty.

Dean Spurrell, spokesman for the council, said: “Dover Place was built to support the expanding County Square development.

“We expect it will become more popular during this year and that Ashford borough council car parks will be at their capacity during the Christmas shopping period.

“We also expect it to become more popular when the high speed rail service opens next year due to the car park’s proximity to the station.”

ABC car parks run at a loss. The council spends more on running the 12 car parks it owns in Ashford town centre and Tenterden than it brings in through charging people to park.

Last year £1,105,774 was fed into parking machines and meters by drivers and £1,109,558 was spent by the council in running the car parks – meaning they were subsidised by the Ashford council taxpayer by £3,784.

The money brought in though car parking charges has been falling for the past three years. There is no conclusive evidence as to why car parks are being used less but it has been suggested by the council that it is it an effect of the credit crunch as people choose to both park and shop less.

It could also be a result of people being put off coming into town due to the disruption of the ring road works and changing shopping habits as people increasingly choose to shop in supermarkets and online.

One car park to have become much more popular during the past year is the Stour Centre due to the reopening of the new leisure centre.

The car park in Vicarage Lane and the multi-storey in Edinburgh Road are the two most popular ABC-run car parks, each bringing in over £325,000 a year.

uE06E Why don’t drivers use the Dover Place car park? Write to Kentish Express, 34-36 North Street, Ashford, Kent TN24 8RJ or email kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk