COLCHESTER Council turned down a request from park and ride bosses to increase parking charges in the town centre to make more people use the service, the Gazette can reveal.

The informal question was made during a meeting of Essex County Council officers with their Colchester Council counterparts.

Senior cabinet members rubbished the idea, with Colchester parking boss Mike Lilley saying: “It would be easy for them and we would take all the flak.”

Mr Lilley (Lab) added: “When it came back to me, I wasn’t best-pleased.

“In fact, what we want is for the park and ride, as well as the bus companies, to lower their prices. That’s what would encourage more people to use public transport.

“With the park and ride, we’ve sent things encouraging the county council to charge by car rather than by person.

“That way, we think it would get more cars off the road in the town centre.”

At the moment, a park and ride ticket costs £3 per person.

Mr Lilley added: “People will think as a council, we want people to use cars because it brings in an income.

“But our concern is air quality - and something has got to be done about the town centre.”

Paul Smith (Lib Dem), leader of Colchester Council, added: “We do work with the county council to make sure the park and ride works.

“More recently, we have been asked not to reduce parking charges, which we adhered to, and when the park and ride opened, we agreed to reduce car parking capacity in the town centre - and you can see that with the development on what was Sheepen Road car park.

“As a result of that move, Essex County Council agreed to put a park and ride stop at Middleborough, so we have co-operated when we have felt able to.”

Mr Smith added the council’s car parking policy is not only under scrutiny from Essex County Council but also from commercial bus companies, whose bosses have voiced a desire for charges to be increased as well.

At the same time, the authority is facing accusations from town centre retailers who say the charges are too high and risk killing off their businesses.

Without special offers applied, it can cost shoppers £10 to park for more than fours hours in council-run town centre car parks.

Some car parks allow drivers to park for any four hour period on Monday to Saturday for £2.50.

Starting on Wednesday and for the remaining Wednesdays before Christmas, shoppers will be able to park for free after 3pm.

A County Hall spokesman said: “We are actively working with a range of partners, including the council and businesses, to see how park and ride can best support people who live and work in the Colchester area.

“A full bus can take up to 40 cars off our roads and we believe this will help reduce congestion, which costs the Colchester economy more than £20 million every year.

“Park and ride offers quick, stress-free and reliable journeys to the town centre, railway station and Colchester General Hospital.

“Supporting your local park and ride means you’re supporting a better town centre environment for all.”

Steve Hartman, Operations Manager for First Colchester, added:” Local bus services can provide a solution to congestion around the town, especially at busy times of the day and when seasonal events generate additional traffic.

"We support all measures that are proposed to encourage people to give the bus a try and start their Christmas shopping and enjoy all the amenities the town has to offer throughout the festive season.

“To give an example, one double decker bus carrying around 75 people, could potentially take 30 cars off the road, which would go a long way to reducing congestion on our roads, so my message is, leave the car at home this Christmas and use the bus for a stress free, convenient way to travel around Colchester."