Parking charges scheme is put on hold after protest backlash

Plans to introduce charges in previously free car parks sparked a huge backlash, more than 40,000 people putting their names to 25 petitions.

East Riding Council review panel chairman Felicity Temple said they were recommending that charges in Anlaby, Cottingham, Hessle, Pocklington, Stamford Bridge and Willerby should be deferred for at least two years.

Because of the bleak economic situation there will free car parking for half an hour in all short stay car parks in the East Riding, except Beverley and Bridlington – allowing people, for example, to get a newspaper or go to the bank.

Coun Temple said they had listened to the public and believed the new charging regime had "something in it for everybody".

She added: "It's no point going out to consultation if we are not going to listen.

"They were telling us this was going to kill their shops so we came up with a solution that we will enable everyone to see the benefits."

Fellow councillor Julie Abraham said: "We have tried to make sure that every community has at least one car park where they have the first half- hour free. We have tried to be as fair as possible."

Concerns remain, however, about the eventual introduction of the fees and their knock-on effect.

In Hessle, which currently does not have paid-for parking, butcher and campaigner Brian Fields said he was "concerned and surprised" the council still intended to introduce charges eventually. But he said the half- hour free parking was good news - if it was permanent.

He said: "It'll help small traders out and everybody. At least people will be able to come and go from small shopping areas."

Pocklington shopkeeper Jeff Shepherd welcomed the deferral, saying: "It's as brilliant result for shopkeepers and the general public who want to do their shopping freely."

The two Liberal Democrat councillors who sit on the panel – and who are against charges being introduced to previously free car parks – were furious they had been excluded from the Press briefing.

Councillors Katrin McClure and Philip Davison have produced their own "minority report" and say the financial benefits of introducing charges would be "negligible". The report says charges would have a negative impact on local shops trying to compete with out of town supermarkets offering free car parking and would also lead to residents having to pay for controlled parking zones to deal with motorists trying to escape the charges. They say the council should not ignore the "strength and volume of genuine concern" from residents.

The panel's recommendations will be discussed at full council on March 4.

They include the following:

The charges will be deferred for two years and be introduced only when there have been two successive quarters of positive growth of GDP.

The panel was advised against a free first half-hour parking in Beverley and Bridlington on the grounds that it would increase congestion and could lead to accidents. In some cases the first hour charge will drop but others will stay the same or increase.

The clifftop car park at Mappleton will remain free as will Goole Leisure Centre, because of a problem with the lease.

Charges will remain the same at the one large car park in Hedon until Hull Council builds a park and ride site.

Palace, North Street, Nelson Street and Beaconsfield car parks in Bridlington will have a 50p first hour charge. Winter charges on North and South Marine Drive will drop to 50p an hour.