A COUNCIL has reversed an unpopular decision to introduce £1-an-hour parking charges for Sunday shoppers, after it led to a drop in trade.

Darlington Borough Council introduced the charges at the town centre’s short-stay car parks at the start of April, with the aim of raising revenue in the face of budget pressures.

The move was met with anger from shopkeepers, who accused the council of driving trade away. The U-turn, which will see a return to a flat rate of £1 a day, on Sundays, in short-stay car parks, was announced by council leader Bill Dixon yesterday.

It will take 21 days for the reversal to come into effect, meaning the first Sunday in June will be the first weekend affected.

Coun Dixon said: “We have been talking to traders over the last couple of weeks, the number of shoppers coming in looks to be declining and £1-an-hour is not helping.

“Off-street parking will stay as it is, £1 per hour. We have been monitoring Sunday footfall since April 1, when it was brought in, and it looks to have had an adverse effect.

“We are hoping the figures will go back up.”

Coun Dixon said the decision was a purely commercial one, rather than being politically-motivated.

He said: “Traders have been quite open about what it has done to their businesses.

“I think this is an example of a local authority being responsive - if something is not working, why carry on with it.”

The decision was made by Coun Dixon as leader, rather than having to go through committees, meaning it can be implemented sooner.

It has been welcomed by opposition councillors and traders alike.

Councillor Heather Scott, leader of the Conservative group at the Town Hall, said: “It is interesting that they have had second thoughts about this.

“I would still prefer to see a return to free parking on Sundays, we have got to fend off competition from places like Teesside Park, where people can park for free.

“Half of the car parks in Darlington are empty all the time, that tells you something about how people view parking charges.”

Robin Blair, vice-chairman of Darlington Retail Market Stallholders' Association, welcomed the decision on behalf of traders across the town.

He said: “I am glad the council has seen sense. Town centres need all the help the can get, not to be deterring people from coming in.

“It is good that the council has climbed down and realised that it made the wrong decision.”