Saffron Walden BID is continuing its campaign against car park price hikes, despite the council making "significant changes" to the proposals.

Uttlesford District Council launched a consultation at the beginning of January on proposals to raise the charges and tariffs - affecting car parks in Saffron Walden, Dunmow and Stansted.

In response, Saffron Walden BID (Business Improvement District) started a petition objecting to the proposals.

Upon receiving the petition last week, Uttlesford District Council said that in order for the car parking consultation to be added to the agenda of a Full Council meeting they needed a minimum of 3,600 signatures by Monday morning.

The BID rallied its members over the weekend to collect additional signatures, distributing petition forms to town centre businesses and boosting the online petition on their social media platforms.

They resubmitted the petition the the council on Monday with 4,000 signatures.

Julie Redfern, Saffron Walden BID vice-chair, said: "Our members feel very concerned at these unjustified increases and proposals to remove free parking on Sundays and we want to reassure them and residents that we are doing everything we can to get their voices heard."

In response, Cllr Neil Hargreaves, Uttlesford District Council's portfolio holder for finance and the economy, has made changes to the proposals - including reducing season ticket increases and continuing 30-minute parking in Saffron Walden.

However, the BID is still calling for reduced prices. A spokesperson said: "It appears that Uttlesford District Council's proposed changes, particularly the 50 per cent increase in the cost of season tickets, have garnered dissatisfaction from the Saffron Walden Business Improvement District (BID).

READ MORE

"Despite the council's assertion of having listened to feedback, the BID maintains that the proposed changes are still unjustifiably high.

"The BID believes that the council's plans would place an undue financial burden on those who work and shop in Saffron Walden's town centre, amounting to at least an additional quarter of a million pounds annually.

"They assert that this is unacceptable and pledge to continue arguing for fairer proposals that consider the interests of Saffron Walden town centre businesses, workers and shoppers."