Residents have hit back at plans to implement new parking charges in three Burnham-on-Crouch car parks - including one serving the doctors surgery.

A proposal to introduce parking charges at Millfields, Riverside and Foundry Lane Car Park will be voted on by Maldon District Council on Thursday (January 23).

The recommendations, proposed by the Car Parking Task and Finish Working Group, aim to reduce financial pressures on the council and provide a consistent approach to car parking charges across Maldon and Burnham.

Local residents, however, remain fiercely against the charges, labelling them disastrous for local business and town use.

An e-petition, started by local resident Natalie Crosland, has now reached over 650 signatures.

Speaking to Nub News, Natalie said: "Charging just seems a bit much because it's not tourist traffic, it's people who actually live here. 

"I go to Maldon two or three times a month and pay to park and I'm quite happy to do that, but it's not the same here when people don't come here as a destination as such.

"This will most affect local people who have to see the doctor or go to the pharmacy or post office."

The suggestions include possible concessions for two-hour 'free use' car parking spaces at the Foundry Lane Doctors Surgery car park, but Natalie says these would be "a waste of time."

She added: "I don't know how they were thinking of monitoring it but I think most people would ignore it anyway.

"Burnham isn't Maldon, it's not the same place at all, and they ought to rethink their greedy ideas."

Another resident and Nub News reader, Geoffrey Charge, told Nub News he thinks the idea is "ludicrous," while expressing concern about the potential cost to implement and install. 

Thursday's Strategy and Resources Committee will be streamed live on YouTube from 7.30pm. You can tune in to watch the discussions regarding the parking charges, here.