THE Tory group on Kennet District Council has been accused of pushing through a more than double increase in parking charges at Station Road in Devizes.

Following a vote on Tuesday afternoon, motorists will have to pay 35p an hour to park at the former railway station as opposed to 15p now. They will have to pay £1.50 to park all day compared to 80p now.

The new charges come into force on April 1 next year.

Coun Chris Humphries told Tuesday's meeting of the environmental services committee that, following negotiations between officers and members of the Conservative group, the £1.50 figure had been reduced from a proposed £2 a day.

The hourly charge at Budgen's car park in Devizes is to rise from 20p to 35p an hour for the first two hours after which it will rise to £1 an hour from the current 75p.

This was reduced from a recommended figure of £1.50.

David Shearer, Kennet's technical services manager, said with improved access to Station Road from the Market Place it was thought right to bring it in line with charges at other town centre car parks.

But Coun Jim Thorpe said that Station Road was still at the bottom of a steep incline.

His fellow Labour councillor Margaret Taylor said: "The fact that the Tory group has met with Mr Shearer flags up clearly that these proposals are Conservative policy.

"There is no logic in putting up the charges at Station Road. The improvements there have had no effect whatsoever.

Coun Alan Wood said the rise was a monstrous increase.

The council's director of resources, Frank Marshall, said: "We have to maximise charges to maximise income consistent with not turning people away."

Conservative councillors voted en bloc against Mrs Taylor's amendment to limit the increase at Station Road to 5p.