THE choice made over three Dorset car parks for an experimental cut in charges is questionable - according to some opposition councillors.

Maximum fees at the Swannery car park, Weymouth; West Bay Road, West Bay and Charmouth Road, Lyme Regis have been effectively reduced from £15 a day to £9 on the maximum charge, from July 1st until October.

Former portfolio holder for highways, Cllr Ray Bryan, says he believes the new Lib Dem administration have picked the wrong car parks for the experiment – selecting those which are popular with tourists and popular throughout the summer season.

“I think what we have forgotten that the review was supposed to have helped residents – only time will tell how right we have got this.

“I really do have concerns why we didn’t look at which car park would benefit local residents because this reduction was supposed to benefit them. Swannery is normally full, or close to being full, for the summer period. Looking at data over last few years it has had good use.

"By choosing a tourist car park in the tourist season this isn’t going to be fair review – because it’s based on a car park which already has a good record,” said Cllr Bryan (Con, St Leonards & St Ives).

Tuesday’s Place & Resources Scrutiny committee, largely made up of opposition, Conservative councillors, heard that there was an 80% probability of a £276,000 reduction in car parking fees from the three car parks over the experiment period as a result of the decision to hold charges at winter levels.

Director for highways, planning & transport, Matthew Piles, said that while he was confident in how the figure for 'lost' income was calculated, based on the previous year’s performance, he said that with good July and August weather the deficit could be much less, possibly even bringing about an increase in income.

He said that so far this financial year car park income for Dorset Council in April and May had increased by around 7 per cent, but in June was down by 6 per cent, much of the fluctuation due to the weather.

He said that with a good July and August around 30 per cent of total off-street car parking income for the whole year would flood into the council coffers.

The committee decided that, because the money involved in the experiment was less than £500,000 it fell within council rules of not needing to be discussed by the full council. The decision was effectively taken by the new portfolio holder, Sherborne councillor Jon Andrews.

Fellow Cabinet member Cllr Shane Bartlett (Lib Dem Wimborne) said the car park income was crucial for the council because it underpinned the highways maintenance and improvement budget.

He said the car parking experiment would not only be judged on income levels, but would also take into account the views of businesses in the three towns as well as residents.