Huge review of car parks

All council-run car parks will be looked at in the review, which will also focus on council-run on-street parking.

Managers warned if anything is changed, charges will not be "equalised" to be the same in each town.

The county council said this would not be feasible, with each location facing different issues.

The review will be so large it could mean surveys being carried out in each of the off-street car parks – which total about 75 – and it could take up to a year.

Surveys would focus on how many spaces there are in each car park and how well they are used.

Phil Crossland, assistant director highways and transportation, said there was no early indication as to whether anything would be changed through the review because of its scale.

He said it would be the biggest of its kind ever to have taken place in the county and would focus on each of the market towns to develop a comprehensive parking strategy for the whole county.

Mr Crossland said: "Car parking capacity for the market towns will have to be considered. The charging strategies implemented throughout will also have to be looked at.

"It could mean new car parks. It could mean no change. Until we've done the work we couldn't say what the outcome would be.

"It's the first time a review on this scale has been done in this county. We've started the scoping exercise which should be completed in the next couple of months and will move forward into a proper review.

"It's not just how many spaces there are, it's how well used they are and will require surveys.

"The view is to have it in place in time for April, 2010."

It comes after a massive county-wide review was carried out into ParkRight, which resulted in major changes.

It meant the number of wardens was cut from 28 to 14, in plans which have also meant that the service is providing a more lenient approach to motorists with the fewer wardens to enforce regulations.

By John Kirk