A LAST-DITCH bid by a New Forest Conservative to make New Forest visitors pay for their car parking has foundered amid anger and bitterness.

Wing Commander Raymond Lloyd, from Boldre, made a moving personal plea to the ruling Conservatives on New Forest District Council to think again about getting rid of the pay-and-display meters.

The meters were introduced last year by the then Liberal Democrat-controlled council. Now in opposition, the Lib Dems also urged the Tories to send the issue back to the council committees and ask for a re-think.

But those calls were rejected and Conservative group and council leader Simon Hayes infuriated both the Liberal Democrats and Wing Commander Lloyd with the comment: "The only person the opposition could dig up this morning was a Conservative supporter who has continually opposed the withdrawal of car parking charges."

After the meeting, Wing Commander Lloyd insisted that he had taken the action purely of his own volition and stressed: "I vehemently deny this and I want to know on what basis he made this accusation. I have been my own man on this issue. I have had Liberal Democrats ring me and I have told them I do not want to get involved."

Lib Dem group leader Maureen Robinson pointed out that Wing Commander Lloyd "turned up tonight of his own bidding" and scorned the fact that he had been "thoroughly discredited by Councillor Hayes."

Councillor Hayes said after the meeting that as the opposition had said it had not encouraged Wing Commander Lloyd to speak, he had to accept their word and he told the council: "I remember quite clearly saying I welcomed him coming here. I at no stage criticised Wing Commander Lloyd for coming here and I would like those comments from Liberal Democrat councillors to be struck from the records."

Wing Commander Lloyd had contended there was "no factual evidence" to show charges threatened the viability of village and town centres, charges were "accepted as a norm" nationally and with no charges for non-residents, the cost of providing parking for visitors to the New Forest would have to be met by council tax payers.

Mr Hayes said after the meeting: ''I have spoken to Wing Commander Lloyd and to the leader of the opposition group and I now accept that he came to the meeting of his own volition.

''The point I was trying to make was that the opposition was having to rely on a Conservative speaking for them.''

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