Car parking charges in Wallingford should be waived on 'slack' days to tempt people into the town, say councillors.

There should be no free time on extremely busy days to ease the pressure on spaces, they also think.

The idea -- from town council member John Cohen -- has the backing of local business people who want variable charges and more free parking to encourage people into the town.

Wallingford Business Partnership chairman Pat Hayward said: "We have discussed this with Mr Cohen and it seems to us to have a very great deal going for it.

"It could make the difference between a good year and a bad one while wholesale redevelopment is going on in the town centre."

The town council is asking South Oxfordshire District Council to do a parking survey.

The town will lose about 100 car parking spaces while the new Waitrose development takes shape and about 50 when it is completed.

It will also lose about 25 unofficial places when the homes and offices development is created behind the Lamb Arcade.

Mr Cohen said: "There is no doubt we have a crisis on our hands when it comes to car parking.

"On some days there are simply no spaces to be found. People are driving round and round the car parks waiting for spaces to become empty.

"Yet on other days there are spaces free most of the time."

Calling for a "complete rethink", Mr Cohen said data needed to be collected showing patterns of car parking. Then we should have variable charging with more free car parking hours to encourage people to come into the town and do their shopping on the relatively slack times," he added.

"That would ease pressure and make shopping more of a joy.

"At the moment people park for the free hour, then go without having a good look round in the town."

He wanted the 280-space Riverside car park to feature free parking Monday to Friday and charges to apply only at the weekends.

The town's public car parks are run by South Oxfordshire District Council.

A spokesman for the district council said the town council's request would be considered, but warned that variable charging went against the council's policy. which has a strict policy of making the people who use them pay for their upkeep while giving the first hour free of charge.

Town and district council member Denis Strange said: "Wallingford needs more car parking spaces but there is just no room in the town centre to build new ones.

"I am not at all convinced that variable charging would work - people might just become very confused and go elsewhere."

A spokesman for the district council said the town council's request would be considered but that variable charging went against the council's declared policy on car parking.

Kevin Willis, store manager at Pettits, Wallingford's biggest store, said: "The hour's free parking should stay on busy days and less busy ones -- that is essential.

"I think the idea of utilising Riverside as a free car park is wonderful -- it is under-used at the moment and should be seen as a major car park for the town.

"If people wanted to park right next to the shops then they should pay the parking charges.

"I am not keen on variable car charges -- some days free, other days not -- as I think this would lead to confusion."

Shoppers liked the idea of free parking on slack days.

John Spence of Cholsey said: "It would encourage me into Wallingford on the less busy days -- free parking is always an incentive."

Jean Barrows from Benson said: "Sometimes it is very difficult to park in Wallingford with lots of people trying to find a space.

"Anything to encourage people in on slacker days must be good for the town, the shopkeepers -- and people's tempers."