OBJECTIONS have been made against County Hall's 'outrageous' proposal to increase the number of chargeable parking spaces in East Lancashire.

Lancashire County Council's cabinet will meet next week to discuss plans to add more street pay and display ticket machines and chargeable parking spaces across the county.

The authority has to cut £77m from its budget by 2022 and county council bosses hope the extra machines and chargeable parking spaces will be a revenue-raising initiative.

If the proposal is approved, it would mean a threefold increase in the number of chargeable parking spaces, from 190 to 560, across 13 towns, including seven in East Lancashire.

It is estimated there would be almost a fourfold increase of pay and display machines, from 27 to 80, in the same area which includes Clitheroe, Whalley, Great Harwood, Burnley, Padiham, Colne and Nelson.

Councillors in Hyndburn and Ribble Valley have hit out at County Hall's proposal.

Cllr Gareth Molineux has described the plans to introduce pay and display parking on Queen Street, Great Harwood as 'outrageous'.

The ward councillor said: "This proposal is outrageous. Local traders are already struggling to keep their services on the high street and car users already pay enough in road tax and fuel duty.

"Councils should be doing more to support our high streets not taxing our residents to use them."

Whalley councillor Terry Hill, who described the initiative as a 'terrible' idea, said: "To put parking meters in Whalley is counter productive and will cause more disruption. It will drive people away from the town."

Ribble Valley council leader Ken Hind, who has also objected to the plans, said: "For over two years we have been trying to take back control of our street parking from Lancashire County Council. Currently, we have a careful balance in Clitheroe of free street parking and chargeable car parks and I would not be in favour of County Hall's proposal."

It will be discussed at Preston County Hall next Tuesday from 2pm.