Lib Dems welcome charges u-turn

12.00.00am GMT Wed 29th Jan 2003

Liberal Democrats have welcomed the Tory Council's announcement that they have abandoned plans to introduce car park charges at High Elms and Keston Ponds.

The announcement, in answer to a question by Liberal Democrat Cllr David McBride, came after a huge campaign against them by opposition parties, local residents and interest groups.

Cllr David McBride, the Liberal Democrat Leisure and Culture spokesman said, "I am delighted that the plans have been abandoned. People have said right from the start that they were unworkable and now the Tories have finally seen sense."

Former Liberal MP for Orpington, Lord Avebury, was also contacted by local residents over the issue. It was his family that gave High Elms to the local Council. "It was not the intention of my mother, when she gave the land to the Council at the end of the 1950s, that people would be charged for access to areas used for public recreation. I am delighted that the Council has seen sense and dropped the plans."