PARKING will remain free on Sundays in council car parks across Wiltshire after the council made a U turn announcing it would not go through with the plans.

New charges for Sunday were due be introduced across the county over the weekend but a number of petitions against them gained thousands of signatures from residents and local businesses concerned that they would drive visitors away from the High Streets.

Julie Exton, deputy mayor of Malmesbury, who set up the online petition calling on Wiltshire council to reconsider the decision, said: “We are so pleased that Wiltshire Council has listened to their residents.

"A big thank you to all that signed the petition, people power can work. We hope the council will also reconsider Bank Holiday charges too."

Town Councillors in Royal Wootton Bassett also questioned why the council decided to keep the charges on Bank Holidays.

Steve Walls, councillor for the town, told the Adver: “It’s good news that public pressure has paid off with the petition, but its strange that we will still have parking charges on bank holidays when the shops are still open. We're certainly pleased but as a council we think they have only done half a job.

"To check that people will have to be paid double time to enforce it, and are they going to do that? They may well do but it doesn't seem to be cost effective. Perhaps they might in future, we'll keep the pressure up and we'll be talking about that locally.

North Wiltshire Lib Dem councillor Gavin Grant, who submitted a second petition, added: “It was always a very bad idea and we welcome the decision. It is a victory for people power and common sense.”

Although Sunday charges will be dropped, season ticket, residents permit and car park charges will still all increase.

This means residents could see permits go up from £160 to more than £400 in Royal Wootton Bassett.

Wiltshire council also announced a £8 million package from central government funding to deliver improvements to highways, potholes and road signage.

Cabinet member for highways, Bridget Wayman, said: “We have listened to our local communities and businesses, and I am pleased that we have decided to use both the funding from central Government and council funding to support our local communities and towns.

“We know the local environment matters to our communities and this programme will make visible improvements that we all care about. We have increased investment in Wiltshire’s roads and this additional commitment will deliver further improvements.”