Fears over parking fees in town centre

Controversial new car parking charges will be brought in to a Black Country town by October, a leading councillor said today.

The introduction of fees in Wednesbury is due to coincide with similar charges being levied by town centre supermarket Morrisons.

The charges have proved unpopular with residents and traders who say it could kill off the ailing market town. But Sandwell's neighbourhoods boss Councillor Mahboob Hussain said it will come into force within the next three months.

He said: "We have to put all the legal notices in first which we are about to do and we have also ordered the ticket machines which will be installed.

"After approval these processes take at least three months so by early October it should be all sorted."

Car parks in Albert Street, High Bullen, Ridding Lane, Spring Head, Upper High Street and The Shambles will all charge under the scheme.

And drivers will also have to pay to park in Albert Street and parts of Stafford Street and Victoria Street .

The project could rake in £30,000 in its first year.

Morrisons manager Jim Brice said he was working with the council to introduce charges at his store around the same time so he wouldn't get an overspill from the town, from drivers trying to avoid the charges.

But he added that store customers would still be able to park for free.

"There will be a system in place to make sure our customers don't have to pay, we are just working out what that system will be," he said.

More than 10,000 people signed a petition against the charges, which will cost between 20p-an-hour and £1 for all day and there were angry scenes at Sandwell Council House in Oldbury when the decision was approved in June.

Wednesbury councillors vowed to appeal against the decision but missed the deadline.

Parking charges were introduced in Oldbury, Blackheath and Bearwood in January and the moved made more than £13,000 in the first month.