Free car parking is on the cards for Lisk-eard shoppers.

Fifty free short stay parking spaces for people making a quick visit to the town centre are proposed as soon as a deal with Cornwall Council can be agreed.

And £1 all-day parking for workers is also being put forward.

Many motorists have been complaining about the £1 minimum charge in the town centre car parks

In addition, hard-pressed traders have criticised the charges, saying they are contributing to driving them out of business.

Mayor Tony Powell this week told the Cornish Times of the proposed changes to the car parking charges.

Important

The town council has formally lodged these proposals and a meeting is to take place with Cornwall Council in April when it is believed a deal will be struck.

However, the town council says it is important to take the views of the community and organisations to the meeting – and with this in mind it has organised a consultation to take place tomorrow on The Parade. The proposals will be on display at the town council's caravan.

Mr Powell said after discussions with the car park owners, Cornwall Council, six months ago, the town council was informed it would have to pay a shortfall in revenue of around £26,000 if the proposals went ahead.

He said: 'However, unknown factors then were the impact of new yellow lines for Liskeard, which are currently being put around the streets, and the subsidy of £1.2m for car parking in the new county budget for the next year.

'This has led to us re-submitting proposals for Liskeard first floated in August.

'Hopefully, these new charges for the town can be implemented soon, but there is also now a willingness on the county council's part to negotiate a "lease back" arrangement on the car parks, which would make the town a pioneer.

'This could still be arranged after our current proposals are in place.

'The arrangement would mean there would be a 99-year lease at a fixed rate, which would enable the town council, as the leaseholder, to have the full rights to adjust and try different charging options, subject to the payment of an agreed rent.'

Under the current proposals, there will be 20 free 30-minute parking spaces in Westbourne car park, 20 in the cattle market car park, and 10 at the top level of Upper Sungirt.

There would be £1 all-day parking at Rapsons car park aimed at workers. 'There will no longer be a need for people working in the town to park around the streets,' said Mr Powell.

The £1 for two hours fee would remain the same across other car parks, but to simplify coinage, two to three hours will drop by 10p to £3, the three to four hours charge is to be dropped altogether, and all 24-hour charges will change to £5.

Lower Sungirt will remain unchanged at £1 for two hours or £2.50 for 24 hours.