PLANS to introduce parking charges to Timperley have not gone down well with some residents.

The village is the only area in Trafford to have its parking subsidised by Trafford Council – but that is about to change.

And in response to the plans, resident Andy Sheridan took to Twitter to voice his disappointment.

Tweeting at council leader Cllr Andrew Western, Andy said: “We know you’ve been battered by massive budget cuts from central government, but the planned parking charges in Timperley village [are] a massive mistake.

“Local businesses will take the hit.

“Don’t think you get how angry people are about it. A massive own goal.”

Cllr Western replied: “As I keep saying, very happy to hear alternatives but I don’t have any at the minute and this is about fairness.

“We can’t subsidise some areas’ parking and not others and continue cutting services to do so.”

Andy responded: “I understand it’s difficult. Balance and fairness is paramount. I understand the financial burdens local government are feeling due to central government ideology.

“I just don’t believe this is the answer.”

Cllr Western replied: “Realise I sound hard here, but I’d need to make cuts to change this. I don’t have a list of low hanging fruit after ten-plus years of cuts to offset changes that I believe are fair.

“Timperley is the only village without charges and I’d rather address that inequity than cut services.”

In a later statement, Cllr Western said: “The political decision to make this change to parking charges was made in February.

“The council has a substantial budget challenge to contend with and if this change was not made further service cuts would be required in its place.

“Timperley is currently the only village centre without parking charges and it is not fair to other areas that one village has subsidised parking and our others do not.

“I would rather address this long-standing unfairness than make cuts to council services.”