THE Evening Press has made a last-ditch attempt to persuade York transport boss Ann Reid to rethink her parking price policy.

Controversial new off-street parking charges are due to take effect on Monday, when motorists will have to pay to park in previously free 60-minute bays.

The cost of a household's first resident's parking permit will double from £42 to £84 throughout the year, depending on the renewal date in each Respark zone.

The cost of visitor parking permits are also set to rocket, while off-street parking charges have already gone up.

The Evening Press handed to Coun Reid 167 separate objections to the proposals. Many more readers contacted the paper by telephone or readers' letters to complain about the charges.

While the decision has already been made to implement the charges, the city council has also made significant concessions.

Last month, the council performed a U-turn after churchgoers protested at being forced to "pay to pray".

It altered its restrictions to allow churchgoers to park on a Sunday in Goodramgate, Duncombe Place, High Petergate, Blake Street, Library Square and parts of Lendal, Walmgate and St Deny's Road.

Earlier this month, the council conceded that Micklegate had special circumstances and brought in a 20p per half-hour charge.

It also wiped the on street charges from 8am until 1pm on Sundays so people attending the area's churches can park and worship for free.

Receiving the objections, Coun Reid said further changes to parking policy were unlikely.

She hinted at some possible future leeway, as she said the new charging system would be monitored.

Coun Reid said: "It is good that so many people have shown an interest in the workings of the city.

"But we did have a massive budget deficit. Without the changes to the parking we would probably have had to put the council tax up by another one per cent."

Updated: 10:40 Friday, March 26, 2004