Parking fees set to be introduced at beach

Officials voted for the parking fees

Parking fees are set to be introduced at a beach despite concerns it will lead to a drop in visitors.

Durham County Council officials voted to bring in the charges at Crimdon Beach car park later this year.

The plans could see visitors pay £1 per hour or £3 a day for parking if the council's corporate director approves the move.

But Labour Councillor Rob Crute said the decision "flies in the face of reason and public opinion".

Crute said the council seemed determined to "drive tourism and visitors away".

The local authority's highways commitee voted for the parking costs by eight votes to seven.

Lib Dem Councillor Eric Mavin said the new fees would help generate extra funds for the council and that it was the only local authority providing free parking on the North East coast, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Conservative Councillor Patricia Jopling said she believed the costs were "modest compared to what is paid elsewhere" and that the fees would "benefit the area".