CONTROVERSIAL plans for parking charges in the evenings and at weekends could be scrapped.

Basildon Council announced new parking charges for Wickford and Billericay in the latest budget, but the plans sparked fury with residents and opposition councillors.

A petition has more than 1,000 signatures opposing the charges, which has shown the strength of feeling on the issue.

A recent Basildon Council meeting heard that the plans could be scrapped as there are funds available to sustain it.

The Conservatives called for the plans to be scrapped but lost the vote at the full council meeting on March 20. Speaking at the meeting Tory Wickford councillor George Jeffrey said: "Imagine a high street with fewer customers, charity shops struggling to raise money for their worthwhile causes because volunteers cant afford to park, or indeed local restaurants struggling to stay afloat, that's exactly what these charges will lead to.

"The reintroduction of the charges is nothing more than a stealth tax on our high streets, punishing businesses at a time when they need all the support they can get. If we drive people away from our high streets we do damage not just to out shops but to the economic fabric of our towns."

Gavin Callaghan, Labour leader of Basildon Council told the full council meeting on March 20 that there is extra money available from tax paid by residents that could be used to fund the continuation of free parking in the area.

He said: "In the budget we have allocated £90,000 for the 2025/26 financial year to the Billericay area committee, Wickford area committee has been allocated £90,000, I have also agreed all the area committees can carry forward their underspends from this year, so both area committees each have £102,000 to spend in the next municipal year.

"Billericay Town Council has almost £600,000 of unspent money in its reserves, Wickford Town Council has almost £300,000 of unspent money it is currently spending 52 per cent of its budget on staffing and office costs, which definitely needs to be looked at.

"Across Billericay and Wickford tax payers have paid, either through Basildon Council taxes or the precept levied on them through the town councils, there is an additional £1.1million of tax payers money that is there, that can be used to fund free car parking in Billericay and Wickford.

"If over a thousand people have signed a petition calling for free parking, you guys have the power to do it and I have written to the town council which also has the power to do it. This council and the town council has made the money available for that to be delivered, the only question now is are Wickford and Billericay councillors going to get on with it and deliver it."