A CONTROVERSIAL parking proposal, previously dismissed as a typing error, is in fact correct.

Last Thursday, the Isle of Wight Council cabinet said plans to charge residents for on-street parking overnight was incorrect, and blamed a typo in the original report for the mistake.

They said charges would only apply to off-street areas.

However, the council has since back-tracked, and said the plans to charge on-street between 6pm and 8am could now go ahead as planned.

A consultation over next year’s budget plans is underway, after the proposals were put before council bosses.

Cabinet members queried £312,500 of savings at the cabinet meeting, including the three per cent increase in Wightcare charges, and the £50,000 reduction to Island Futures which supports young people to participate in education, employment and training.

Cllr Wayne Whittle spoke out against the proposed parking charges and said: “Small, free, limited waiting spaces are essential to traders. They have already got the internet against them, and we really need to help them.”

A petition of more than 3,600 signatures protesting the introduction of parking charges in Ryde will be presented to the council next week.

Senior councillors will also meet with local business representatives to discuss the proposed charges.