CONTROVERSIAL plans to introduce on-street parking charges in the New Forest have taken a major step forward.

The district council's ruling Cabinet has approved proposals to impose charges in some areas, which are almost certain to include Lymington and Ringwood.

Fees are likely to be introduced in 2009 if Hampshire County Council supports the scheme.

The district council says that its proposal would ease the parking shortage in busy town centres by creating a faster turnover of spaces.

However, the scheme has upset business leaders in the district, as previously reported in the Daily Echo.

Charges already apply in council-owned car parks, and traders fear that takings will plummet if customers also have to pay to park outside shops.

Critics include Barbara Kennar, of Ringwood Chamber of Trade and Commerce, who said: "Additional charges would kill Ringwood as a market town."

Lymington and Pennington Town Council claims that the installation of parking meters in the High Street would cause problems for stallholders taking part in the Saturday market.

Jenny Welker, president of Lymington Chamber of Commerce, said: "We wouldn't be happy with meters and would certainly fight them."

Plans to introduce on-street parking fees as part of a new traffic management strategy were approved by the Cabinet yesterday after only a brief debate.

A report to members said that the vitality of shopping centres depended on the availability of adequate parking.

It added: "Charges for on-street parking in certain areas will be considered.

"It's anticipated they will be introduced in town centres where parking is at a premium. When the options have been identified and evaluated the council will seek the necessary agreements with the county council."

The scheme is likely to involve a pay-and-display system.

Alternatively, the council could decide to make more use of parking clocks - annual permits that are bought by motorists and entitle them to use town centre car parks without buying a ticket.

The possible introduction of on-street parking charges is likely to prove a major issue in the run-up to next year's local elections.

The Conservatives gained control of the council in 1999 after pledging to scrap the original off-street fees introduced by the previous Liberal Democrat administration a year earlier. The controversial charges were ditched by the Tories soon after they were elected but were reintroduced at the start of 2004.

Lib Dems have repeatedly accused the Conservatives of breaking their promise to the electorate. Tories say that the fees are necessary on traffic management grounds.