A full comprehensive study of parking in St Ives has been called for as charges are set to be introduced at the park and ride site.

St Ives Town Council will write to Cambridgeshire County Council to ask for a study of parking in the whole of the town before and after fees are introduced at the Meadow Lane park and ride, set for the beginning of April.

Motorists will have to pay £1 for stays longer than an hour, £10 for 18-24 hours, between 24 and 48 hours £20 and £30 for 48 to 72 hours.

The county council has already painted double yellow lines on Meadow Lane, in anticipation of the displacement for motorists looking to avoid paying for parking to use the bus.

At last Wednesday’s full council meeting, Councillor Philip Pope said: “We have come lorry driver who come to the town and have fallen in love with St Ives and make every effort to stay overnight if they are passing nearby. These are people who come and spend £30 to £40 a night.

“They park on Meadow Lane overnight and leave in the morning and take their rubbish with them.

“I received a text from one of them to say they had heard that double yellow lines had been painted which would stop them coming in the future.”

He called on the council to ask CCC to put time restrictions on the road to allow lorry drivers to park between 6pm and 8am.

Councillor David Hodge raised concerns about provision for mobile caravans. He also warned that the price would be likely to increase in the future.

It was added that due to the guided bus running around the whole of St Ives, a study of the effects of the parking charges should not be limited to the area around Meadow Lane, as other parts are also as likely to be affected as motorists seek free parking.

The council will write to CCC asking for the review and to look at the possibility of changing parking restrictions at Meadow Lane.