A former UBP Cabinet Minister has called on the Mayor of Hamilton to resign following a "disgraceful" increase in the cost of parking vouchers.

However, Hamilton Mayor Sutherland Madeiros said he would not dignify the call with a response and said while he understood people would be upset, the increase was only really 75 cents.

Earlier this month the Mayor announced that the cost of a book of parking vouchers would rise from $10 to $17.50.

That would mean each individual parking voucher increases a total of 75 cents from $1 for an hour to $1.75.

The move has raised condemnation in many letters to the Editor of this paper and now former United Bermuda Party MP Quinton Edness has joined the fray calling for Mr. Madeiros to resign.

He said: "The Mayor should either recall this disgraceful increase he has imposed on the people of Bermuda or he should step down.

"That's ridiculous to come out with a 75 percent increase. Everybody's upset about it. If he had come up with a 25 percent increase that would have been fine.

"A 75 percent increase and he says he is trying to help the merchants. That's lame. More people will shop online. He's not going to help them at all. It's great they want to raise money and they need more money and they are putting it on the consumers to do it.

"I hope the new people elected will come down on it. he should resign. The elderly just won't go into Hamilton."

After presenting the increase in the cost of parking vouchers, Mayor Madeiros explained the move was to encourage more utilisation of car parks and to free up space for retailers.

These new parking vouchers will now be in circulation on August 8, according to a spokesperson.

And last night Mayor Madeiros reiterated this point and reminded the public that it was much cheaper to park in Bermuda then other areas of the world.

He said: "I just came through Boston and parking was $20 a day. With the increase, we are trying to encourage people to use the parking lots when possible.

"The decision wasn't taken by me alone. It was discussed by all members. We didn't increase other parking rates. All we did was do the one-hour street parking.

"There were people parking on the streets because it was cheaper, but were not shopping. Of course people will be upset but it's really just 75 cents."

Mayor Madeiros said the Corporation would also be looking into increasing the number of spots in parking lots and had also considered underground parking at City Hall.

However, all of those plans are still under investigation for feasibility, though the Mayor did recently say that barriers could soon be installed on pay-and-display car parks for ticket cheats.

The costs of city pay-and-display car parks, such as Bull's Head, Bull's Head North, Laffan and Elliott Streets, will remain the same at $5 per day but free on Saturdays.

Pay-and-display car parks at No. 7, No. 8, Cavendish and King Street will still be $1 per hour, and City Hall, Par-la-Ville, No. 1 and No. 5 car parks will remain at $1.25 per hour.