WOOTTON Bassett Town Council is holding a special meeting tomorrow to discuss the parking situation in the town.

North Wiltshire district councillors have also been invited to the meeting to give their views about charging for parking in Borough Fields car park.

Chris Wannell, Wootton Bassett's new mayor, said: "Parking is too big an issue for the town to remain neutral and my duty is to look after Wootton Bassett. North Wiltshire District Council are suggesting giving us two hours' free parking for a period until a comprehensive parking review is completed.

"After that it will be standardised so that it is the same as any other town in north Wiltshire, in other words one hour free parking.

"But this will drive everyone out of the Borough Fields car park and into the other car parks around the High Street, which are free.

"The suggested changes will not cure the problem of people dumping their cars here and going off to work in Swindon or Reading or wherever."

District Councillor Steve Walls (Lib Dem, Wootton Bassett North), said: "There has been a lot of consultation with people and there have been concessions which some people would think are rather generous.

"Two hours free parking means most people can shop and not pay.

"We recognise we are in competition with the free parking in West Swindon, which is why we think Wootton Bassett is a special case."

The meeting is at the council offices in Station Road, at 8pm. Members of the public are welcome.