A COUNCIL has been accused of a “Mickey Mouse” approach to managing car parking in Beccles as a row over spaces at Rainbow rages on.In last week's Journal, residents voiced their anger over the removal of six free parking spaces in the supermarket car park, in Blyburgate, to make way for four disabled spots.

A COUNCIL has been accused of a “Mickey Mouse” approach to managing car parking in Beccles as a row over spaces at Rainbow rages on.

In last week's Journal, residents voiced their anger over the removal of six free parking spaces in the supermarket car park, in Blyburgate, to make way for four disabled spots.

Waveney District Council hit back stating it had been added to improve disabled provision for Beccles Library and the shopping area.

Now the Beccles Business Association and a town councillor have added fuel to the fire by accusing Waveney of potentially damaging trade in Beccles, as well as attacking the “poor” way they feel the changes have been handled.

Alan Thwaites, a Beccles town councillor, said a number of councillors raised their concern about the removal of the spaces at their recent meeting.

“The feeling in the town council is that they've short-changed Beccles yet again,” he said. “It's very good that they've allowed further disabled facilities, but not at the expense of six hour-long spaces, which we did fight long and hard for with the Beccles Business Association. It's not very user friendly when we are trying to get more trade in Beccles or Blyburgate.”

Meanwhile Richard Stubbings, vice-chairman of the Beccles Business Association, agreed that the removal of the spaces could be damaging to Blyburgate, which he felt was “struggling a bit.”

He added that he felt Waveney had handled the change from free to disabled parking “very poorly,” not advertising the changes enough and providing poor signage to indicate the change.

He also questioned whether Waveney had taken the issue of removing free parking spaces seriously enough.

“I don't think they've even thought about it,” he said. “I think they grabbed the first six spaces they could find near the library. It's Mickey Mouse really.”

A spokesperson for Waveney District Council said: “People visiting Beccles benefit from a significant proportion of free parking compared to other towns. The disabled spaces were created due to local demand for additional provision.

“We review our car parks on an ongoing basis and will monitor usage following this change. If, as part of this process, it is shown that further changes are required then we will look at it again.”