A bid to reverse all newly-imposed car parking charges now seems unlikely.

But Calderdale Council’s Cabinet has decided to return three car parks – in Brighouse, West Vale and Ripponden – to their former free from charge status after complaints .

And all parking fees in the borough will now be frozen , with a bid to hike them next April thrown out until April 2017.

Clr Barry Collins said: “Since the charges were introduced in January there have been few complaints, usage is twice as big as we expected, and talking to the wardens there appears to be little customer resistance.”

He said income projections means the council has the opportunity to balance the council’s parking budget and freeze fees for a further two years – but only if they stick with their initial plans.

Clr Collins added: “Our present calculations give us the opportunity to hold parking charges to the benefit of residents, drivers and the local economy, but it will be jeopardised if evening charges in Halifax and charging at relevant car parks was revoked.

“We have listened carefully to the points made, we hear the residents who have talked about displacement at Church Lane in Brighouse and in Ripponden and West Vale, and we have acted by removing the charging.

“But that doesn’t mean we will remove them at Mill Lane or Bank Lane in Brighouse , which are not in residential areas.

“We have received well in excess of the income we thought we would get, particularly with Mill Lane. It is near a large retail unit and it was full am to pm of local traders working elsewhere in the town centre, so much so customers to the fire place outlet couldn’t park nearby.

“The retailer has said it’s a brilliant scheme because it’s freed up parking spaces.”

Car park plans in the borough have faced a turbulent time – in January the Labour-run Cabinet extended charging in Halifax town centre until 8pm and brought in fees for 10 car parks that were previously free for shoppers and visitors.

In February the opposition combined at Calderdale’s full council to vote through an amendment to reverse car parking charges and look to introduce a shoppers’ parking scheme, which will no longer be carried out in full.

Clr Geraldine Carter, Ryburn Conservative, said her constituents in Ripponden would welcome the move but urged Cabinet to re-look at parking in some parts of Halifax town centre where theatre-goers were affected.

Click here to take you back to more Huddersfield news .

Want to read, watch and hear more? You can download the FREE Examiner Apple App  here , the FREE Examiner Android App  here  or you can view the paper as an e-edition on your Apple, Android or Kindle device by clicking  here

To follow us on Twitter click here