Harlow's Liberal Democrat councillors have listened to local residents and ruled out the introduction of pay and display parking at Bush Fair, The Stow, the Town Park, Old Harlow and the Latton Bush Centre.

Speaking at the meeting of the council's Environment & Community Committee, which was chaired by Bush Fair Liberal Democrat councillor Eleanor Macy, Staple Tye Liberal Democrat councillor Lorna Spenceley said:

"Each of these areas has its own parking problems, and a blanket solution of pay and display is not the answer. We should be looking at each location case by case, and finding local solutions to local issues.

The response to the consultation from local residents, traders and organisations has been very useful, and it is clear that councillors have listened to what they have had to say. The response demonstrates that there are very real parking problems in many parts of the town, and that we need to be co-operative and imaginative in finding solutions."

For Bush Fair, Cllr Spenceley successfully proposed instead that council officers should investigate additional parking opportunities and report back to the committee. She successfully seconded a similar motion for parking at The Stow.

For the Town Park, Cllr Spenceley proposed that the council investigate the option of establishing one hour in the day when a ticket was required, as a way of deterring commuter parking and freeing parking space for residents using the park for leisure. This was widened to include considering other options, and officers will report back to the Environment & Community Committee on 14 March.

Proposals for pay and display at Old Harlow were also rejected. And Cllr Spenceley successfully seconded the proposal not to introduce pay and display at the Latton Bush Centre, where council officers were in any case recommending that the council should not proceed.