A LIFTING of one hour parking in a Lake District village has raised parish council fears that tourists will steer clear.

Hawkshead Parish Council clerk John Poole said there would be 'no encouragement' for people to stop and shop in the village after the Lake District National Park Authority announced changes to parking prices.

From Easter, the majority of LDNPA car parks will no longer offer a one hour stay – meaning the minimum fee will be £3 for two hours.

This is down from the £3.20 currently charged for two hours but penalises those visitors who want to pay a quick visit to the shops, said Mr Poole.

"Hawkshead is already suffering from a reduction in trade and there are a lot of factors in that, but that definitely includes the high parking charges," he said.

"It is becoming a bit of a run down village due to a lack of investment and the LDNPA's continued increases in parking charges. It is not improving the situation one little bit.

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"We object every time they go up but nothing seems to be done about it. What really gripes is that the Hawkshead car park is the best profitable business in the whole of the Lake District and of all the revenue they rake in, very little comes back."

However Cllr Heidi Halliday, who represents the Lakes division on Cumbria County Council, welcomed the changes, saying the LDNPA car parks are mostly used by tourists and there is 'ample on-street parking for locals'.

"I actually think they could be a good idea," she said.

"It would encourage visitors to stay for longer. If you park at the Waterhead car park in Ambleside for an hour it would be difficult to walk from there, walk around the shops, and get back. Two hours gives you a longer time to have a look around, get a coffee, and take it all in.

"I've always associated them with the tourists, and there's still the SLDC car park at the garden centre.

"I can understand why the national park has done this. It's an attempt to get people to stay for longer rather than coming in on a flying visit."

Liz Moss, head of commercial services at LDNPA, said: "The main point to note is that in the majority of our car parks we have adjusted our fees to a minimum two hour charge.

"This is to encourage visitors and locals to stay longer as has been requested from many of our local communities.

"Where there is an increase in tariff, it is either minimal or none, and no fee will be charged for up to a 15 minute stay in any of our car parks."