COUNCILLORS have hit out at plans for a cut-price tariff at a Highbridge car park with one claiming the proposals are ‘naive’.

Members of Burnham and Highbridge Town Council slammed Liberal Democrat Phil Harvey’s proposal for one hour’s free parking and slashing the cost of season tickets in a fiery debate.

He was accused of not going about the proposed changes for Bank Street Car Park the ‘right way’. Cllr Andy Brewer said the council needs to be careful it does not mislead residents with proposals that are ‘unachievable.’ He said: “I must say that while it is a nice idea and a very good principal to reduce costs to residents, it is a bit naive to think that people who park on side streets will be willing to pay £150 for a season ticket.”

Mike Murphy, Highbridge Chamber of Trade chairman, also hit out at the plans and said season tickets and parking leases ‘cannot simply be rolled out to everyone’ due to high administration costs.

“However bright an idea one hour’s free parking is, we are concerned that an application for free parking could mean the users of the other eleven car parks in the area would demand the same treatment, causing extra work and deep resentments,” Mr Murphy said. In my opinion, the problem is not the price of the car park but that we don’t have enough shops and businesses in Highbridge to attract shoppers to fill it.”

But Cllr Harvey said he is adamant the plans will increase revenue and usage at the car park as well as encouraging people to shop in the town centre.

He said: “The Bank Street car park is severely under-used so why can’t we make a season ticket available to commuters? It would be a one off transaction with no administrative difficulties.”

Cllr Roger Keen said Cllr Harvey had ‘embarrassed’ his Liberal Democrat councillors by putting forward the plans and expressed his frustration at the comments he made about the Brue Drainage Board.

In his plans, Mr Harvey said the drainage board only pays £150 a year for parking on Bank Street but Cllr Keen said the board has a parking lease for its staff because it is a precepting body and said the information would have been available to Mr Harvey if he had requested it.

“It is a great shame that this topic of a public amenity was projected under a political emblem, thus immediately removing it from the goodwill of all-party discussion,”Cllr Keen said.

Cllr Martin Cox suggested the council trial the proposal for six months. Councillors will meet Sedgemoor District Council to discuss the proposals further.