DIABOLICAL plans to scrap free parking at Ottery St Mary Hospital have been slammed by town officials.

DIABOLICAL" plans to scrap free parking at Ottery St Mary Hospital have been slammed by town officials.

Ottery town councillors, who labelled the scheme by Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT) as a "money raising activity dressed up as a green travel plan", will write to health bosses to express their "strong" objection.

The PCT said charges will prevent abuse of the car park by people who leave their vehicles in hospital grounds without using their facilities, and it hoped the move will also encourage people to car-share or adopt greener methods of travel.

Cllr Roger Giles said the move was "a way of raising money to deal with financial problems" and questioned the trust's consultation process adding: "this was not a proposal, it was already decided."

Mayor Glyn Dobson said: "Ottery has a community hospital which many elderly people can't walk to- there isn't a problem with parking there, its never crowded and very unusual not to find a parking space."

The news has also angered Thorne Park Estate home-owners who fear parking charges will see drivers clog up nearby roads which are already a thoroughfare for local school children.