A COUNCIL has been forced to defend its position following the introduction of new parking charges next month.

The charges will be brought in at Witton Country Park from March 1, Blackburn with Darwen Council has announced

Visitors will be charged 50p for two hours and £1.50 to park all day at the main Witton Park car park and the astroturf car park.

Tower Road car park will remain free to park.

Council budget cuts have led to the decision to introduce parking charges and the local authority has asked park users to help by contributing when using the car park in order to maintain the condition of the park.

However, one resident has slammed the charges as ‘just wrong’.

William Beattie, 46, who lives in Lower Darwen and visits the park every night in the summer, said: “I’m blind and my wife and I often go for a walk to Witton Park.

“I have asked the council why they are now charging me to use the car park and they have told me it’s because they have the right to charge.

“It’s only 50p for two hours at the moment but no doubt the council will put it up in the future.

“I pay £1,200 a year in council tax and should not have to pay to park.

“It’s a public park so I do not see why we should pay for its use.

“It’s a country park and I’m sure the law states it’s a park for people to enjoy and not pay rather than taken it upon themselves to street charge.

“It’s just wrong.”

Mr Beattie also said he didn’t see the need to spend money on hiring a park warden when there are so few cars who use the parking facility.

He said: “At the moment you never see more than 10 cars.

“You would need between 40 to 50 cars parking there to warrant hiring a park warden to do the job.”

Martin Eden, director of environment and leisure, has responded to Mr Beattie’s complaint.

Mr Eden said: “The decision to introduce parking charges is the result of the need to maintain the condition of the park in the light of our budget challenges.

“It is something that other neighbouring councils are already doing and was not something that we undertook lightly and without a full review into how it could be done as fairly as possible.

“However, park users can still access Tower Road car park, which is nearby, for free or if they want to use Witton Park, then the £50 annual pass works out at 14p per day or a six-month pass at £30 is around 17p.

“It is free for gym members.”