IT may offer a once in a lifetime chance to dodge parking fees.

But Daily Echo reporters found four out of five motorists in Southampton appear to have resisted temptation and paid up despite the city’s traffic wardens beginning a seven-day walkout.

About 40 traffic enforcement officers, maintenance engineers and cash collectors have joined the picket line as part of a wave of “indefinite” industrial action by 2,400 Unite and Unison city council members.

And yesterday they revealed how they will now stay out on strike for an extra week – and be joined by Itchen Bridge toll collectors from next Tuesday and by refuse collectors for a one-day strike on Saturday.

The escalation is a move by union chiefs to ramp up pressure on council chiefs who they claim have stalled on negotiations.

However, council leader Royston Smith, who made the decision to place 4,300 workers under threat of dismissal and force them to sign up to new terms and conditions, says it was necessary to protect people’s jobs and frontline services.

Last night he thanked city residents and workers for demonstrating their honesty amid fears that a parking free - for-all could have cost the city up to £100,000.

Cllr Smith said: “I would like to thank our residents for continuing to pay for parking in the city, and for being r e s p o n s i b l e with their vehicles during this i n d u s t r i a l action.

“Any suggestion that parking in the city is free is irresponsible and could lose the council and taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds.

“Less money ultimately means less services and jobs.

That is something we must stop from happening.”

The Daily Echo spoke to more than 100 drivers to find out if they were paying up – or taking a chance.

Driver Steve Colver, 23, a learning support assistant, from Hythe, was one of many who were paying to park.

He said: “I will still pay to park because it’s not worth the risk. I think it is the moral thing to do.

“I can understand why the traffic wardens are striking over the cuts but paying for parking is something we have to do.”

Stuart Tapp, 37, an aircraft fitter, from West End, Southampton, said: “I thought I’d better pay, you don’t know if there are any extra council staff hanging around.

“I would much rather pay 60p than £30 for a fine, it is just not worth it.”

A handful of parking managers have been patrolling in the city, warning people that the rules still apply in spite of the warden walkout.

The strike comes as part of a wave of industrial action by council workers.

Last week refuse collectors walked out – leaving many residents across Southampton with piles of binbags and rotting waste.

They have now returned to work, but under a strict work-torule policy, which means side waste won’t be collected. They will also strike on Saturday when they were supposed to catch up after the Bank Holiday Monday.

According to Unite, some bin collection rounds were not completed yesterday as staff struggled to catch up and refused to work overtime.

Unite and Unison bosses say they are “escalating” industrial action because the Conservativeled city council has delayed crunch talks for a month. They warn each week a new council group will join in the strikes until “real talks” are held over the plan which they say could see people’s wages cut by 5.5 per cent.

Unison branch secretary Mike Tucker said: “It is clear that the Conservatives do not want a negotiated settlement.

“Offering to meet in four weeks time is not serious.

“Our industrial action is proving how strongly council workers rejected the politically driven wage cuts. The Conservatives should agree to immediate talks.”

Unite regional industrial organiser Ian Woodland added: “Our members are determined to carry on with the industrial action until real talks are held.”

But Cllr Smith insisted the door was open.

He said: “We are happy to meet with the unions and will do so via ACAS, however these negotiations will only be successful if the unions offer some credible alternatives.

“So far no alternative has been suggested. We are changing terms and conditions to protect jobs and services in the city.

“If there was another way of saving £25 million this year, other than losing 400 more jobs, we would have taken it.”