TOWNS in Monmouthshire are to keep their free car parks, after the county council yesterday backed down on plans to introduce parking charges.

Town councils in Usk, Abergavenny and Chepstow, backed by traders, had been granted leave at the High Court for a judicial review of the decision to impose the charges without what they claimed was proper consultation.

The council announced plans to bring in the charges last autumn, saying they would raise £100,000 in income.

The town councils argued the council was undemocratic, failing to consider the views of local people and only consulting them after the charges income was fixed in the budget.

They said local shops would be hit by people going to free cars parks in towns like Cwmbran, and local workers' pockets would also be hit.

Yesterday Monmouthshire county council announced it would not impose the charges on the 12 free car parks in Usk, Chepstow, Abergavenny, Caldicot, Gilwern, Goytre and Magor.

The county council maintains it did take the views of local people into account when it decided to introduce charges in previously free car parks, a spokeswoman says yesterday's decision was taken only because paying for the court battle would not be a good use of taxpayers' money rather than because they were in the wrong.

Mayor of Usk Councillor Liz Fleming, who led the campaign, rejects this and still describes the consultation on parking fees as a "sham". She said: "It's been a long slog since August last year but I do feel this is a victory for local democracy.

"We are absolutely delighted."

Andrew Hinksman, of Abergavenny chamber of commerce said: "All the traders will be over the moon.

"Although the charges were not in effect yet, there was a lot of concern about them." The town councils' lawyer, Gareth Edwards, of Everett, Tomlin, Lloyd and Pratt, is now in discussion with the council over the terms of their withdrawal.

Mrs Fleming said: "We want to make sure they aren't going to turn straight round and start consultation on this again."

The council now says the cost of managing and maintaining car parks will be met by council tax payers rather than car park users.

The decision does not affect an increase in parking charges on paid-for car parks introduced at the same time.