INCREASED car parking charges at Severn Tunnel Junction have been called a ‘disgrace’ by commuters.

The daily rate to use the facilities in Rogiet has risen from £3.60 to £4, infuriating those who use the station on a daily basis. 

This will mean an extra £2 for commuters travelling for five days a week and an average of £8.40 for the month (based on travelling for 21 days.)

Commuters have seen a year-on-year average increase of 25p since 2010 – when it cost £1.50. This has been confirmed by Arriva Trains Wales, which contracts NCP to manage the car park on their behalf.

Further pressure on parking has come with the closure of the Station Road bridge which leads to an overflow car park at Rogiet Countryside Park. 

The only way to still use the car park is by using roads leading from Caldicot station and using a temporary footbridge to access the station.

Samantha Arnold, of Cwmbran, has stopped using the station due to the parking problems, and had resorted to paying extra to travel from Newport station.

“Today I went via Severn Tunnel Junction for the first time in a month or so and was shocked by the price increase,” said Mrs Arnold.

“The car park was half empty but while going through Rogiet, I could see that people had resorted to parking in the surrounding streets. I wouldn’t be happy if I lived there.”

Chepstow resident Martin Peel, who occasionally uses the station, described it as “pivotal” and called for further improvements to accommodate its status.

He said: “This the gateway to Wales for many but it doesn’t feel that way. It seems to be half-baked in what it offers.”

The hike has been labelled a “disgrace” by David Flint, chairman of the Severn Tunnel Action Group, who said: “It is yet another huge hike in costs being asked of ordinary working people. Arriva Trains Wales offer no interest in the need for additional parking, but are pleased to take their receipts from parking charges with very low costs.”

Visitors to Severn Tunnel Junction also have the choice to use the playing fields car park next door at a charge of £2 per day.

The site, which is owned by Rogiet Community Council, has been open since May and income generated is shared between the council and Monmouthshire County Council to support its ongoing development.

But many of those living nearby, such as Jill Haywood of Churchmead, say that parking has been a problem for some time.

“I think it’s just going to get progressively worse,” she said.

“The top of Station Road is already very dangerous and is just an accident waiting to happen.”

Another concerned resident living in Severn Tunnel Court, who wished not to be named, described the situation as a “nightmare”, adding: “We have people parking despite loads of signs telling them not to. Nothing is being done”.

A spokesman for Arriva Train Wales said: “We appreciate that this has come as a disappointment to some of the station’s users.

“This is due to a number of operational challenges including vandalism to the ticket machines which resulted in them having to be replaced at extensive cost to the business as well as the extension to the car park.

“We have achieved a ‘Park Mark’ excellence award for the safety of the car park and the increase will help us maintain this.”