A proposal to charge for parking in Castletown is provoking opposition from residents.

They say it is a further blow and will deter visitors to the town, which is already ’really struggling’.

Critics have also hit out at commissioners’ consultation on the proposal - which is on Facebook - as it reaches just a small percentage of residents.

The proposal was outlined on the town’s Facebook page on March 6, with a deadline for comments of March 25.

The proposal applies to off-street car parks at Chapel Lane (the old grammar school), George paddock and Malew Street (tennis courts) which would be consolidated to provide two hours free parking in any space (or four hours for blue badge holders), after which a charge of £1 would be levied for the remainder of the day.

Charged weekly and annual permits would be available priced at £5 and £250 respectively with all monies being ring-fenced for reinvestment in parking and active travel infrastructure.

Parking in Barracks Square and (former) fire station would be restricted to 30-minute parking.

Former town MHK Tony Brown said: ’They have recently issued a "consultation" proposal, seemingly only on Facebook, which is likely to reach a massive 2% or 3% of town residents, as the vast majority of residents don’t use Facebook. Nothing yet on their public notice board in The Market Square or in public area of Civic Centre.

’It will have a serious adverse effect on encouraging people to come to Castletown, to work, to shop or visit our town, especially the proposal to unilaterally charge for public car parking in the town’s car parks, being the only town or village outside of Douglas to charge for public car parking, as will the proposal to reduce parking times to 30 minutes in many parking areas. This charge will deter people who would normally come to shop or visit our town.’

He said the changes to parking provision in recent years had led to a ’big decrease’ in footfall in the town and these proposals were ’likely to accelerate the decline’.

The authority said the information is also on its website, Twitter and the town’s notice board in the square.

Before any changes were made to a traffic regulation order, there would also be an advert in the local press.

Commissioners’ chairman Colin Leather said: ’We are not hiding anything. We are making better use of the car parks.

’Two need resurfacing and that will cost thousands of pounds, we are working on the basis of the user pays.

’The 30 minutes parking we’ve already introduced to the square is working excellently.

’Things have to be paid for and this is rather than putting the cost on the ratepayers.’