A PETITION against Bradford Council plans to introduce car parking charges at a beauty spot has been signed by nearly 4,500 people- but protestors are angry that signatures from outside the district will not be counted.

The Friends of St Ives Estate group has called for a public consultation on the parking charge plans at the Bingley country park.

Under the Council’s proposals, motorists would be charged every day – including bank holidays – between 8am and 6pm.

The fee would be £1 for up to two hours, £2 for up to four hours and £3 beyond that.

A petition received 4,470 signatures from objectors and was handed to the Council earlier this week.

The plans now have to be discussed at the Council’s meeting on October 18 because the petition contained more than 1,500 signatures - enough to trigger a debate under the local authority’s petition scheme. But Friends chairman Pam Laking has criticised the Council for not considering any signatures from anyone outside the district.

A Council spokesman confirmed that signatures from people who do not live, work or study in the Bradford district were discounted.

Mrs Laking said: “We are angry because we have just discovered that, although the council have over the last 14 years encouraged us to try to increase visitor numbers and create a tourist attraction for Bradford with visitors coming from far and wide, they have now told us no signatures on the petitions which are not from the Bradford area are will be included in the total count.

“We have many regular visitors from Skipton, Halifax, Guiseley, Menston and all their surrounding areas, but they are not now being allowed to have an opinion in this decision, even though these are the people who will definitely have to come by car and therefore pay.

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“What we want is Bradford Council to undertake a proper public consultation over this. We want people to still be able to arrive at St Ives, start to unwind and feel relaxed, and not have to worry about how long they can stay and that they might get a parking ticket.”

The protesters’ view has also been backed by Shipley MP Philip Davies, who has called for Bradford Council to re-think its plans. He said: “I think that the council are making a mistake with the charges.

“St Ives is a jewel in the crown of the Bradford district. They should be encouraging more people to come, they should not be deterring people from going.

“I have had a meeting with Susan Hinchcliffe and made my feelings known to her, face to face.

“It’s just really, really misguided. The parking charges would have an impact on visitor numbers.

“I would urged the council to look again and scrap their plans for parking charges.

“I have made it clear that I am wholly opposed to the plans.”

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