A SHOWDOWN over York's parking charges is expected next week after opposition councillors tabled a motion calling for an urgent review.

The proposal, submitted by Labour councillors to City of York Council's full council meeting next Thursday, calls for an urgent all-party review of parking charges which should begin immediately, consult widely and report back to the next council meeting in September.

Labour opposition leader Dave Merrett will also ask the review to look closely at the impact of the new parking charges in the city and look at all options - including scrapping the charges.

"What the city is now crying out for is a bit of common sense," he said.

"The Lib Dems need to recognise the impact these charges are having on the city - and look at practical ways to do something about it.

"We, like residents across the city, have said we are opposed to these charges, and we believe that a full review, based on real evidence, will demonstrate that these charges are damaging and that they will have to go.

"The limited parking review we have been promised by the Lib Dems will be too little, too late - it wasn't scheduled to begin until November, and was narrowly defined to smother debate. The urgent and broad review which we are proposing - with real action to back it up - is what this city needs now."

The Labour review would see council chiefs talking to traders, evening city centre businesses, city centre employees and residents in Respark zones, hotels, churches and community groups.

Councillors will be lobbied before the meeting by York TUC, whose members will express their opposition to parking charges and call for them to be scrapped.

Updated: 10:31 Thursday, July 22, 2004