OPPOSITION is mounting against plans to introduce on-street parking charges to some of Ambleside’s roads.

A final decision was put on hold last Thursday but Cumbria County Council insists the charges will come into force as part of £24.4m savings being made in its 2014/15 budget.

The move was blasted as ‘totally unacceptable’ amid claims that the town was being targeted as a ‘tourist cash cow’.

The council’s cabinet was expected to approve the proposal but it has now been delayed until May.

Coun Keith Little, member for Highways and Transport, proposed the deferral amid concerns from the authority’s scrutiny committee about how it will be implemented.

He said the extra time would allow the council to listen to any feedback and fine tune its introduction.

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But former county councillor and South Lakeland District Councillor Dr David Earnshaw, who lives in the town, said it would lead to the demise of local businesses.

”We have to whip up a resistance to anything like this and show we are against it,” he said.

“They have admitted it is to raise finance and I think they see Ambleside as a honeypot area and tourist cash cow - but why should locals be penalised?”

Lakes councillor Heidi Halliday said: “I don’t want any decisions made that will have a detrimental effect on the community. We have to think are you actually saving money if it means shops close and jobs are lost.”

Streets in Ambleside included in the proposal are: Cheapside, Church Street, Compston Road, Compston Street, Kelsick Road, King Street, Knott Street, Market Place, Vicarage Road and Waterhead.