Homeowners across Ormskirk, Aughton and Burscough could be vulnerable to being charged hundreds and possibly thousands of pounds to park their cars on their own driveways.

The County Council's begun to implement legislation (Section 184 of the Highways Act 1980), which enables it to charge homeowners to put in dropped kerbs if they are parking a car on their own driveway.

The council has already begun to target Brinscall, Chorley, issuing notices of intent which state that the owners of the property have to pay for a dropped kerb to be installed by the council - if they don’t the council will install the dropped kerb and charge them anyway.

Where people have already carried out the work using a private contractor the council are not prepared to accept this and insisting on the work being done again by them only.

The estimated costs quoted to residents is between £700 to £1,500. This could raise an estimated £60,000 in these two areas alone. When LCC roll this out across the county it could run into £millions taken from hard pressed homeowners.

Cllr Hasina Khan, (Chorley North), said: “When residents brought this to me I could not believe it.

"They have described the letters as demanding money with menaces, despite the fact that many of them have had these drives in place for over 20 years in some cases.

"LCC has been verbally threatening them that if they don’t pay they will be fined and bollards put outside their homes to stop them using their drives.”

“There is no mediation or consultation, this action has been systematic in its delivery, with no regard to the person's circumstance or ability to pay.

"Some of these people are pensioners and other have young families. They can’t afford to be paying out these large sums of money, just like that.”

And Ormskirk's John Fillis, Shadow Spokesperson Cabinet Highways and Transport, added: “The legislation that supports this action has been around for years. But during the time of the Labour administration it was never used in such a cynical manner to raise funds to prop up the county coffers.

"This is a Conservative 'Kerb Tax' that targeting ordinary people in their own homes, squeezing people for every penny they can get out of them.”

“Highways are inspected every year including these roads without concerns being raised before.

"This was clearly a deliberate action taken by the council, which they will enforce in every borough in Lancashire.

"All action by the council should be stopped and the council should re consider its position.”