DRAMATIC cuts to car parking across Worcester have been made permanent - despite 17 councillors trying to scupper it by calling for prices to go UP.

A temporary summer offer to slash rates has now become indefinite after Worcester City Council's Conservative leadership forced it through during a tense vote last night.

But the move, which launched in July and saw a return of prices as low 40p for half an hour, was opposed by the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green parties, which said it would harm the council's finances and only cause more congestion.

In the end it was forced through 18-17 after the Mayor of Worcester Councillor Alan Amos backed the Tories.

Finance chiefs are predicting lost income of around £129,000 this year from it, which will be plugged by using a temporary Government grant called the New Homes Bonus.

The old Labour administration increased parking rates before losing control back in June, leading to the Tories slashing prices.

Councillor Marc Bayliss, the deputy leader, said: "We think car parking is an important tool in trying to attract people into the city centre - we hope this will re-establish Worcester's reputation as a place where people want to come and do business."

Councillor Simon Geraghty, the leader, said it was about trying to give Worcester an advantage over the likes of Cheltenham, Solihull and Birmingham, leading to a debate over the strategy.

Labour Councillor Paul Denham even said Worcester could be damaged by a stigma surrounding areas with cheap parking.

"How many of you actually look up the parking charges of the places you're going to visit and decide not to go based on the prices? It's absolute nonsense," he said.

"Car parking prices correlate to what there is to do there, look at London, Oxford, Chester, York.

"Merry Hill is free but I wouldn't go there if you paid me, it's horrible.

"Cheaper prices give the impression there's nothing to do and you just want to get people in."

Councillor Adrian Gregson, Labour group leader, said: "If you look at the surveys congestion is what concerns people in Worcester the most - that's what they are bothered about it, and yet you'll increase it.

"Your colleagues up the road have shut the park and ride (at County Hall), this is all the wrong way around."

He also said the location of car parks is far more important than the prices, saying it is "well known in the industry".

Green Councillor Neil Laurenson said "people in Worcester do not want to see increased congestion", adding "we need alternatives to driving".

It led Cllr Bayliss to accuse the opposition of "wild ramblings", saying "the idea price doesn't matter is a nonsense".

"I am close enough to go to Oxford, but I don't drive there because of the prices, it's a ridiculous amount per hour," he said.

"You may as well admit you're anti-motorist, you are intent of driving people out of their cars," he said.

Labour Councillor Richard Boorn called it “the last bastion of the desperate”, saying there was “no factual evidence it increased footfall” to shops and insisted there would be a financial price to pay for it.

Cllr Bayliss countered by saying all but 35 UK councils now use the New Homes Bonus to prop up their general budgets, and that it could not be seen as a “mad-cap” idea to use it to plug reduced parking income as £129,000 is a small proportion of the fund, which is worth £1.3 million this year alone and more in future years up to 2020.

“You changed the behaviour of the motorist, you kicked them out, it’s like a desert because of what you’ve done,” he said, referring to the Croft Road car park which was shunned by coaches earlier this year, leading to a protest by cafe owner Chris Wise.

The lower parking rates include £1 after 7pm and reductions as much as 50 per cent at selected sites.