Swindon council's decision to increase parking charges brought sharp criticism from readers who claimed it would make the town centre even less attractive to shoppers.

The authority is upping the hourly rates in several areas including Fleming Way, Brunel North, parts of Brunel West, Queen Street, Catherine Street, Whalebridge and at Coate Water from next month.

Minimum stay charges have gone up by 10p in some car parks and by £1.10 to £2.10 at Coate.

Here's what readers had to say...

Lewis Robins: "Once again Swindon Borough Council taking the mickey!

"Instead of whacking up more charges for car parking and council tax maybe sort out the state of the roads and the stinking hovels you call your car parks. This town is becoming a joke."

Christopher Paul Liston: "This has to be a joke very few shops, rents rising, gas prices with electric going up and you put up the parking. Brilliant, top drawer, I give up."

Simon Taylor-Mills: "Greenbridge retail - free, Asda (both) - free, Sainsbury (both), one with B&M - free, all B&M - free, Tesco - free, Outlet village - £2.00 for five hours.

"Get the idea? I'm done with town!"

Marlene Scotford: "Aren't we all? Filthy, disgusting town centre. Too many beggars and drunks."

Clare Morrison: "Good job we don't have to pay as nothing worth going into Swinetown for!"

Adrian Winters: "Charging extra for car parks that have already paid for themselves, money for old rope! How about reinvesting it in the town centre itself.

"Lower shop rent for 12 months for new businesses in the town centre, surely something is better than nothing for those empty units!"

Graham Stobbs: "When people are feeling the pinch everything is rising. Council tax has gone up by another five per cent, now car parks.

"On top of it all. How much money do they think working people have?

Rachael Lauren Daisy Stone: "I wait to go back home to SW London/ Surrey for shopping because Swindon town centre is just vile and has no shops.

"The Primark and H&M really the only actual high street chains to go for and they're always three months behind anyway in stock.

"Just for a comparison I picked one of the most expensive car parks in centre of Windsor that leads directly onto the Windsor yards with the higher end shops. The Brunel is double the price. Absolutely mad."

Jemma Holden: "I agree, with no aspect of commercialisation there is no hope or aspiration for young people.

"Swindon is just a place to live now as shopping can be done in Bath, Bristol Cheltenham and even a train journey to London is cheaper!"

Lucy Jane Longhurst-Milham: "Pay more to go to a town centre to look at all the empty units and be surrounded by kids in balaclavas on bikes and drunks?! Looking forward to it!"

Stuey Parker: "How can you increase car park charges, there's hardly any shops to visit plus meant to be attracting people not turning them away."

David Procter: "I thought the council were trying to get people back into the town centre.

"This is not the correct way of achieving it, when out of town shopping is free parking.

"Come on council wake up, I will stick with Reading - lovely town centre full of shops and shoppers."

Samantha Forest: "It's not just the town centre. Coate Water, has leapt from £1.00 to £2.10 for under two hours!

"Great, put in a new park with the funds from developers and then charge over double on the parking!"

Adrian Brown: "Swindon needs people to come into the town, not drive them away with massive car park prices and parking at Coate water should be free.

"That's another spot the council are driving people away."