OPPOSITION is mounting against proposals to introduce parking charges at some county council-owned car parks.

Northumberland County Council recently revealed that it would invest £10m into parking improvements throughout the county, but that the investment would come at a cost.

An estimated £404,000 would be generated from the introduction of charges at Prudhoe and Haltwhistle railway stations and Prudhoe’s Riverside Park.

The proposed charges of £3 per day would be based on the existing charge at the Northern Rail car park at Morpeth Railway Station.

It would fund improvements elsewhere in the county including creating more than 250 new long-stay spaces in Hexham, and removing HGV parking at the Wentworth car park in Hexham.

But county councillor for Stocksfield, Mickley and Riding Mill, Coun. Anne Dale, spoke out about the proposal to introduce costs in Prudhoe when the plans were announced, saying it would affect a lot of commuters and rail users in her ward.

This week she said that a number of people from Stocksfield and Mickley drove to Prudhoe station, where trains to Newcastle are more regular, and they would be be hit with costs of up to £60 a month if new charges were introduced.

“That’s a huge amount,” she added. “There seems to be petitions against this popping up everywhere.”

Meanwhile members of the public who use the Tyne Riverside Country Park have also objected.

One petition has been set up by Prudhoe and District Labour Party against the plans and a meeting was held on Tuesday where people were encouraged to sign it.

And last night director of local services and housing, Paul Jones, attended a meeting of Prudhoe Town Council to discuss the plans.

A consultation is set to take place about the plans.