RESIDENTS have hit out at "completely inappropriate" plans to Tarmac car parks in West Bay.

West Dorset District Council is proposing to spend £400,000 to improve car parks, including £190,000 from its reserves for improvements to the West Bay Road, Station Road and West Bay Arms car parks.

The district council is also debating whether to increase parking charges across west Dorset.

Motorists would no longer be able to pay for only 20 minutes of parking in district council short stay car parks in Bridport, while the charge for one hour could rise to 60p.

Cllr Dave Rickard said: "I am not particularly happy about getting rid of the 20 minute slot or the half hour slot. I'm also a little unhappy about the all-day price.

"I don't think they have thought through those charges very logically, to be honest."

Bridport town clerk Bob Gillis commented on a report by the district council which stated that West Bay Road car park is in "a really poor state" and "is in need of major work". The improvements would also allow more cars to be parked.

He added: "It also stated that the Bridport Arms and Station Road car parks need a Tarmac surface, to allow a proper parking layout to be introduced, in order to maximise the amount of car parking that can take place.

"The town council has been asking for improvements to West Bay Road Car Park, in particular, to increase the number of spaces, but there have been some concerns expressed locally at the proposals to Tarmac the Bridport Arms and Station Road car parks."

Residents criticised the proposals at Tuesday's (26) Bridport plans committee meeting.

John Tigg labelled the plans to Tarmac the Bridport Arms car park as "ugly and soulless".

He added: "Even if more cars can be accommodated, this will only be of benefit during periods of high demand.

"Having a Tarmac car park will not let water drain away."

Sylvia Stafford described the plans to resurface the car park as "completely inappropriate".

She added: "West Bay as we know it would be no more. There would be serious detriment."

Cllr Rickard was sceptical about the plans and suggested that the district council thought "there's a lot of people complaining about West Bay, maybe we will throw some money at it".

He added: "I think we need to go back to West Dorset and have that dialogue again and try and come up with a solution."

Leader of the council, Cllr Sarah Williams, believed it was important that any work to the car parks would improve drainage.

She added: "I think if they are going to do some maintenance at West Bay Road car park, they need to talk to the Environment Agency to see how that car park can become useable after a heavy storm."

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

Cllr John Russell, West Dorset District Council executive portfolio holder for environmental protection and ssets, said: “As agreed at the district council’s executive committee in August, funds have been made available from our reserves for the maintenance of West Dorset car parks.

“Investment in our car parks is vital for the commercial viability of the various market towns and seaside resorts across West Dorset.

“To provide quality, well maintained and safe car parks requires a continuous rolling programme of planned works.”