A RADICAL move to introduce a one-hour 10 pence parking charge could be set up shortly. But the suggestion aimed at increasing shopping in Royston town centre will need the approval of North Herts District Council. The idea is to introduce the scheme in

A RADICAL move to introduce a one-hour 10 pence parking charge could be set up shortly.

But the suggestion aimed at increasing shopping in Royston town centre will need the approval of North Herts District Council.

The idea is to introduce the scheme in part of the Royston Town Hall car park after councillors on the district council's Royston area committee ruled out using the Somerfield supermarket car park.

And in the hope of gaining support for the scheme, councillors from outside Royston are to be invited to a "tour" of the town centre to see the problems in the High Street.

Committee chairman Cllr Fiona Hill described the suggestion as a "positive" move.

If given the go-ahead the scheme is planned to run for a trial period.

Cllr Peter Burt told members: "We have a problem with people not coming to the town centre and we need to do something urgently. There is an urgency to solve this problem."

He said the district council's policy of having blanket parking charges across North Herts was not "realistic for Royston".

Cllr Burt said the trial period would need to be measured to see whether the one-hour 10 pence parking charge was working.

In supporting the move, Cllr Tony Hunter said the town hall car park was already divided in two so had "a natural break" for the introduction of the scheme.

The 10 pence parking charge could help, too, people using the health centre, said Cllr Hunter.

Cllr F John Smith said the key to seeing the trial period introduced would be to persuade the rest of councillors from outside Royston to support the scheme.

"We have to make clear exactly what the problems are and it would be sensible for other councillors to lean about those problems," he said.