Motorists were shocked this week as increased parking charges in council-owned car parks came into force.

Cornwall Council consulted on a rise in parking charges last year.

A proposal to raise the first hour's parking charge to 50p proved unpopular with residents in South East Cornwall when more than 5,000 people signed a petition against the rise.

Based on the local resistance, the council opted to only raise the first hour's charge to 40p – twice the previous 20p fee in Liskeard, Callington, Saltash and Torpoint.

More on this in this week's Cornish Times.