It's always a controversial subject - and now OWL has had its say on claims by the Borough Council that Ormskirk's new parking regime has been a success.

Last night, Derby Ward Councillor Ian Davis told QLocal: "It’s a pity that the council has chosen to issue a partial picture of what is happening.

"Crucially, they don’t mention that in the eight months since they increased the cost of the cheapest parking options and scrapped free parking at Park Road, more than 55,000 fewer parking tickets were issued with every one of the 8 months down on the same month the previous year.

"Some of those shoppers may have found parking elsewhere in the town but given that footfall for the whole of 2018 was down compared to 2017 then some of them will have been deterred.

"Several businesses have shut up shop after Christmas while the Government is encouraging councils to offer more free parking.

"The Borough council made a surplus of £378,000 from Ormskirk shoppers in the last financial year – more of that surplus needs to be spent in the town.”*The Government Minister for the Northern Powerhouse, Lancashire MP Jake Berry makes his call for free parking from council’s herehttps://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/busi...aims-1-9508860

The car park income surplus is shown here https://www.westlancs.gov.uk/more/yo...-ormskirk.aspx

Footfall fell in Ormskirk in 2018 compared to 2017; figures available on request from the council.