COUNCIL bosses have vowed to look again at plans to implement parking charges at a popular Blackburn park.

Last month it was announced that motorists would be charged 50p to park in the Preston Old Road car park for 90 minutes. The Tower Road car park will remain free.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s leisure boss, Cllr Damian Talbot, met with park user group representatives at Blackburn Town Hall this week and agreed to look again at the initiative.

Cllr Talbot said he would look at scrapping charges after 6pm Monday to Friday and introducing a permit scheme for regular users.

But he insisted the scheme, which the council expected would generate over £50,000 per year, would still go ahead in some form.

Cllr Talbot said: “I found it a constructive meeting. Everyone has got concerns that we don’t want to see a decline in park usage. We want the park to stay popular.

“People were very understanding about the council’s financial position. All the groups made the point abut how valuable the work they do is.

“Rick Wilson from Couch to 5k produced a statement about what their position is and put in a request to provide free parking after 6pm Monday to Friday. I am open to that suggestion. We will also look at making permits available for regular park users. We will go away now consider the requests and feed back in the next few weeks.”

Present at the meeting were representatives from Couch to 5k, Blackburn Road Runners, Park Run and Witton Residents Association.

Rick Wilson, chairman of Couch to 5k, said: “The meeting went better than I anticipated. The council were very open.

“Where we go from here is dependent on the decision we make. It was difficult for me because I was only representing the interests of our group and that is why I proposed free evening parking. I don’t know who was representing the interests of dog walkers and other park users. I am hopeful that our concerns will be listened to.” Mr Wilson said if the evening parking charges remained he would have to consider relocating the group.

Road runners chairman Sue Wolstenholme described the meeting as amicable and said if the evening charges were brought in their group would also reconsider moving.