A COUNCIL leader has questioned the viability of recently installed pay and display parking.

Darwen mayor Roy Davies said that Blackburn with Darwen Council had spent £14,340 implementing the scheme, but had only made £1,531 from people using the car parks between October 1 and November 20.

The charges were introduced on Railway Road and Atlas Road in October, forcing motorists to pay to park during the week.

Council bosses said they introduced the charges because commuters have being using the space to park all day for free while using the train to travel out of the town.

Cllr Davies said: “The total cost of implementing the scheme and painting yellow lines cost £14,340 but over a six-week period, but the parking fees have only collected £1,531 which works out at £30.61 per day so far.

“This is nothing when you consider the problems that residents in and around the car parks have had.

“They have had to put up with cars being parked in their streets causing parking problems, also the fact that Knott Street car park is now full of commuters.

“They are taking up parking spaces that shoppers could be using to purchase goods in the market.”

Borough regeneration boss Phil Riley said the figures show they were on track to break even in a year.

He said: “Judging by those figures we could expect to break even in a year.

“We would also expect the usage of those car parks to increase over time.”

This comes as Darwen Leisure plans to install barriers to ensure the car park is only accessible to members.

Cllr Davies said: “All the people who were parking on Railway Road are having to find somewhere else to park.

“What’s to stop them parking on the leisure centre car park and walking into town?

“I’m sure they’ve always had an issue with non-members parking there, but it must have got worse since the council started charging for parking.”

However, Cllr Damian Talbot, executive member for leisure, said the barriers, which are due to be installed in January, are unrelated to the charges.

He said: "They have been planned for some time because we have had issues with non-leisure centre users using the car park.

“They are not related to the pay and display car park.

“Membership is at its highest and people are taking advantage of the free car park to use other facilities in the area.

“This means parking spaces are not available for leisure centre users.”