CALSTOCK parish councillor Mark Yates is pictured handing over a petition calling for a reduction in car parking charges in Gunnislake to chairman of Cornwall Council Pat Harvey recently.

More than 1,000 people signed the petition after local concern that raising the first hour charge from 10p to 40p in two years was harmful to businesses. The cost of residents' parking permits also increased from under £100 a year to more than £300.

Residents object to the village car park costing twice as much to park as the main shopper's car park in Callington.

There is hope that Calstock Parish Council may take over the running of Gunnislake Car Park in the future.