SOUTHAMPTON'S ruling Liberal Democrats have done a spectacular U-turn and scrapped plans to charge drivers to park at night in the city.

Moves to charge inner-city residents £450 a year for permits to park second vehicles have also been abandoned.

The plans would have seen motorists charged 50p per hour from 5.30pm until 10.30pm.

They were dropped following widespread outrage from inner-city residents' groups and business leaders, who claimed the scheme would damage the city's booming night-time economy.

In an almost unprecedented move, city transport supremo Councillor Jill Baston announced her about-turn to a meeting of the city council's ruling Liberal Democrat Cabinet last night.

She told members that the scheme to introduce night-time charges was "not supportable or justifiable at this stage".

The move comes just five days after Liberal Democrats vowed to press ahead with the controversial proposals - in spite of being humiliatingly defeated by 29 votes to 18 at full council.

However, city bosses were forced to look again at the controversial scheme after Councillor Baston was given a rough ride by the environment and transport scrutiny committee last Thursday.

Speaking at last night's meeting Tory group leader Councillor Alec Samuels welcomed Councillor Baston's change of heart.

He said: "I am sure that the city and everybody who lives in it will welcome what we have just heard."

Councillor Richard Williams, chairman of the city council's environment and transport committee, added that if the plans had gone ahead, payments for car permits would have meant, in effect, a "second council tax" for inner-city residents.

He branded Councillor Baston's change of heart as a "climbdown".

Cllr Baston told members she still believed that the number of cars coming into the city at night needed to be managed.

She said: "There is an increasing need for parking charges in the city centre. There is evidence that people are encouraged to come into the city centre because of its high standards. Maintaining them is expensive.

"But there is also strong evidence that the need for parking management is not genuinely recognised as yet.

"At some time in the future, the city will have to consider it but from the point of view of the public, it is clear that the time is not right."

Cabinet colleagues for Cllr Baston praised her courage in reversing her decision.

Council leader Adrian Vinson added: "Clearly at this point in time those who live and work in the city centre are not convinced of the need and it would therefore be improper to force upon them this measure at this time."