Otley'S business leader has hit out at increases in the town's car parking charges.

From the beginning of April charges at fee paying car parks will increase 50 per cent and the minimum length of stay increased to an hour.

It will mean charges at The Lix, Courthouse Street, Walkergate and Beech Hill car parks will increase from 20p to 30p for an hour, while half hour parking will no longer be available.

Trevor Backhouse, president of the Otley and District Chamber of Trade, said it was another blow for the town.

"I'd like to know what we are getting for this increase. The car parks are not kept up to a rea-sonable standard.

"The car park signs all need maintaining and some of them are bent. This seems another way of Leeds City Council getting some money for nothing."

Mr Backhouse added it was fortunate that there were still two free car parks, but pointed out they were always full by 9am with people working in the town.

"This is not going to do anything for shopping in Otley. I'm sure people will get used to it eventually, but it's just another blow to the shopper who wants to come to Otley"

l Otley is currently the only place outside Leeds city centre where the council charges people to park in its car parks. The increase will hit car parks where charges are already made but not the town's free car parks at Charles Street and Burras Lane.