TOWN councillors have welcomed proposals to raise parking charges in Lyme Regis after the mayor slammed an authority for "mismanaging" car parks.

West Dorset District Council is proposing to increase parking charges at all its short stay and long stay car parks in the town.

The proposals include replacing the 20 minute stay at Broad Street and Cobb Gate car parks with 30 minutes and increasing the charge from 40 pence to 50 pence. The proposals would see an 80 pence charge for an hour of parking, £1.80 for two hours and £4.20 for three hours.

At long stay car parks on Charmouth Road and Holmbush, it currently costs £2 to park all day. Under the proposals, the daily charge would double to £4, while it would cost £1.10 to stay for two hours, £2.10 for three hours, £3 for four hours and £3.50 for six hours.

Season tickets at Charmouth Road and Holmbush car parks could also increase under the district council's proposals.

Speaking at last week's town management committee meeting, mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Owen Lovell, said: "They have been mismanaging these car parks for the last few years.

"These car parks are crucial for our town. The price people pay for them is derisory."

Cllr Jeff Scowen was concerned that the town council could be blamed for the increase in price for parking.

He said: "We will get all the flack - we will get all the bad press with it".

But deputy mayor, Cllr Michaela Ellis, said it was important for the council to look at the proposals carefully.

She said: "They are more or less coming into line there.

"I agree with the car parks going up. I think we should be saying that all long stay car parks should be treated the same. The public need to know that we are looking at these things."

After councillors asked town clerk John Wright for his thoughts, he offered a suggestion that the town council support the proposals to increase car parking charges, but ask that the increased revenue is put back into the town for services.

Cllr Richard Doney also suggested that the district council should develop a pricing strategy.

In a letter to the town council, Jack Creeber, interim parking and transport manager for the district council, said that car parking charges have been kept at a low level for "some considerable time".

He added: "The council is committed to providing well maintained quality car parks that will provide an excellent experience for the motorists visiting the towns and tourist attractions across west Dorset.

"In order for this council to continue to provide high quality car parks with reliable equipment and systems that will make car parking as easy as possible for its users that will enhance the parking experience, then funding has to be sought."