THE new increases in Cornwall Council parking charges, which came into force on Monday, coincided with the return of a travelling family to Westbourne car park in Liskeard.

The travellers – the same family from the Republic of Ireland who had parked in the area only three weeks earlier – arrived on Sunday and pulled out of the town on Wednesday.

There was much controversy and criticism from car park users and from within the local community during the travellers' latest four-day stay. This was mainly because they were not paying to park their eight caravans, which were taking up more than two dozen parking spaces, and because they had returned after such a short space of time.

Cornwall councillor for Liskeard East Sally Hawken said she had spoken to the travellers at length, and had also shown them some controversial hand-written and unsigned posters which had been taped to the bottom of the parking tariff noticeboard next to the Pig Meadow Lane entrance.

One poster read: 'Cornwall Council Notice, Caravans Park Free, Motorists Pay 30 per cent more.'

The second poster was critical of the travellers, cllr Hawken and Cornwall Council.

Cllr Hawken said: 'I told the travellers some unpleasant things had been written about them and showed them the notices. I explained a lot of the anger directed towards them was around the parking tarriffs, which had just gone up, and people were unhappy that they couldn't be charged.'

After speaking with cllr Hawken, the travellers volunteered to pay for the caravans, which they were not legally obliged to do, and bought 24-hour tickets at £6 each. Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Communities Geoff Brown said: 'Government regulations do not enable us to charge for caravans. The regulations are very specific and we are only able to charge motorised vehicles. If, however, travellers wish to display tickets on their caravans, that is at their own discretion.

'We would prefer to see caravans being required to have a ticket because they can take up to three parking spaces, which causes frustration and annoyance to local communities.'

Mr Brown added that the council's Gypsy and Traveller Liaision Officer had visited the Westbourne car park and had asked the group to leave the site. Legal action would have been taken had the travellers not left of their own accord.

Liskeard police said that, once again, there had been no problems and the travellers had left the area cleaner and tidier than when they had arrived. Trading Standards had checked the items that they were selling, which had all been found to be legitimate. There was no illegal activity going on,' said the police. 'While this extended family has chosen a different lifestyle, there was no need to worry about their presence.'