An End To Free Parking In St Neots?

13 February 2010, 06:00 | Updated: 15 February 2010, 07:19

Businesses in St Neots have joined the town's councillors to oppose plans to end free car parking in the town.

Huntingdonshire District Council want to turn the car parks at The Riverside and Cambridge Street into pay and displays.

It's all part of their proposals to save, and then make more money as they try to recover from the recession.

But town councillor Steve Van De Kerkhove says it's a bad idea: "One of the things that encourages people into the town is not only the vibrancy of the High Street, but also free parking.  Our businesses and shops need all the help they can get."

Mr Van De Kerhove spent last weekend collecting signatures for a petition against the plans, and he says almost 60 local businesses have already signed it:

"We're going to continue to collect signatures - we're aiming to get over a thousand in total.  And then we're going to be publicising that and presenting it to the District Council really to make them aware that nobody in this town thinks it's a good idea."

Huntingdonshire District Council will be discussing the plans at their next meeting on Wednesday.