MOTORISTS in East Lancashire have reacted angrily after the price of parking near their front door rocketed by around 50 per cent - and in some areas a fresh charge has been introduced for visitors.

County council highways bosses, facing major cutbacks, are anxious that the residents parking permit schemes are not paying their way and have endorsed an overhaul of the system for nine affected areas.

Proposals have been ratified by County Cllr John Fillis, highways and transport cabinet member, to introduced standard £25 for resident and visitor permits, bringing income up from around £12,000 per year to more than £32,000.

This would not affect a small scheme in Hyndburn, where there is already a £25 charge, and it would potentially mean a saving for 26 Ribble Valley motorists, who currently fork out £40 per head.

But the decision has been met with outrage in Burnley, where nearly 200 residents pay £15.60 at present, and another 307 free visitor's passes have been dished out.

Roy Wallbank, of Killington Street, Burnley, said: "I am a single man with just one wage coming into my home. I do not know how these increases have been allowed .

"But they are more than extortionate and I can only presume the council are taking government cuts out on the captive market that are home owners with street parking permits."

He is planning to create a petition against the increase, which came in earlier this year, and has contacted Burnley MP Julie Cooper for support.

Paul Riley, the county council's parking services manager, said: "The current charges do not have any consideration of the costs involved with

enforcing these zones.

"The proposed charge is a step towards covering the cost of providing the reasonable enforcement for all of these schemes.

"The introduction of a permit scheme is primarily to benefit the residents within the scheme and it is reasonable that the permit price should at least reflect the investment required in any scheme.

"Costs include administration of the permit scheme by council staff, maintenance of signs and lines on the highway network, the increased enforcement required by civil enforcement officers and a contribution to the cost of the permit software used exclusively for resident's permits."