The councillors say the car park was built for residents who are are now going to have to park on the road which will cause serious congestion.

They say residents on Victoria Street itself will now either have to clog up the roads or park in Sainsburys car park.

Council chairman Cllr Steve Brunt said Victoria Street car park was purpose-built for the residents over 20 years ago.

It was labelled a long stay car park several years later, but was always used by residents due to the town's narrow roads and lack of space.

He said: "I feel so sorry for the residents being pushed out onto the streets.

"The whole idea of that car park was to alleviate congestion on Victoria Street and Newdigate Street.

"It's bad enough on the roads as it is. It's ridiculous."

The decision to charge in car parks across the borough was rubber stamped at a Broxrowe Borough Council meeting last week.

Car parks with ten spaces or less were made exempt from the plans, and
the borough council made Kimberley's James Street car park exempt, despite it having 12 spaces.

Cllr Roy Plumb said: "I'm pleased about James Street car park but it's very bad news about Victoria Street. Kimberley doesn't have a lot of parking provision.

"I don't know what will happen to the cars now and I don't know how people will feel once cars start clogging up Sainsburys and the precinct.

"The welfare of the community should be a priority."

Kimberley town councillors campaigned for months to get the whole town exempt from the plans because of the damage it would do to trade.

They launched a petition, which gathered more than 3,000 names opposing the charges.

Cllr Brunt said: "After the worst recession in 60 years, putting car park charges borough wide – let alone in Kimberley – is ridiculous. I can't catch my breath on it."

Charges will be enforced on the car park between 8am and 6pm but it will be free for the first hour.

The town's Station Road and Newdigate Street car parks are exempt because they are under ten spaces.

The council, currently one of the only authorities in the area which provides free car parks, claims it needs to introduce pay and display because of the credit crunch which has left it with a budget shortfall of around £2m.

Broxtowe Borough Council cabinet papers said the car park was provided for the benefit of the whole town centre, not just the residents and that the council would look at co-funding an on-street resident parking scheme if it proved necessary.