IT had been a wrong step for Taunton Deane Borough Council to introduce car parking charges for disabled motorists, said Cllr Ross Henley at the December meeting of Wellington Town Council.

In addition to introducing blue badge charges last month, the Deane also put up charges for Wellington’s three public car parks in Longforth Road, North Street and South Street by between 10p and 20p for parking between two hours and all day but left the one-hour charge at South Street unchanged at 70p, which Cllr Marcus Barr described as ‘cheap’.

Cllr Janet Reed said the Deane needed more income because the money set aside for the badly-needed resurfacing of North Street car park was ‘nowhere near enough’.

It was agreed to ask the Deane how much additional money it anticipated the new charges would raise.

Keen cyclist Charles Biscoe said it would be better if people did not drive into town so much. It would be better for ‘our children, the environment and the future’. Cheap parking encouraged more people to drive into town.

Asked if the Deane had consulted the town council about the increased parking charges, town clerk Greg Dyke said there had been no consultation this time – it was not a legal requirement for the Deane to consult with the town council.