CHESHIRE East Council is re-introducing cash payments at its car parks from next Monday (August 17).

The move comes after other payment methods came under fire, particularly from elderly motorists, who found a mobile phone app difficult to negotiate and said they preferred paying for their parking with coins.

Despite the change of heart, Crewe and Nantwich MP Kieran Mullan says the authority has made a "pigs' ear" of its parking policies and should press on with a parking review.

The MP raised a petition protesting about Cheshire East's decision to reintroduce charges at its pay and display car parks in June as lockdown measures were starting to be lifted.

Crewe businesses have been hit hard in the pandemic and there have been calls to make its town centre car parks free of charge like others in the borough, at least as a temporary measure to stimulate trade.

"Cheshire East has made a complete pigs' ear of the entire car-parking situation to the detriment of Crewe and Nantwich ever since it prematurely brought charges back," said the MP.

"The council needs to crack on with its parking review without delay and I hope it manages that with greater success.

"This decision has taken too long and has damaged local businesses but I welcome that commonsense has finally prevailed thanks to pressure from local people and businesses refusing to be quiet about it."

Cheshire East withdrew the option of cash payments at most of its car park machines to reduce risk of virus transmission. It says it has now monitored usage and listened to feedback from users, residents and businesses.

It says car parks have been getting progressively busier in recent weeks as people are becoming more used to visiting town centres.

Now motorists will be given the option of paying for their parking by cash, although Cllr Laura Crane, Cheshire East's Cabinet member for highways and waste, said: "I continue to strongly recommend that people use cashless payment options where this is possible.

"Our parking machines offer both 'chip and pin' and contactless options as means of payment. We also offer the alternative option to use 'RingGo', the mobile app, if someone wanted to avoid using the machine completely.

"We have found that a mobile app is the preferred option for many people and are looking to improve that offer over time.

"However, we recognise that cashless options are not the best payment option for everyone, and we are now offering cash payment for those who choose to use it.

"While Covid, and the risks it presents, has not gone away, we want to support and encourage people to come back into our town centres. But this needs to be done progressively and with care, with due regard to advice from public health professionals.

"As with all changes put into place in response to the Covid pandemic these measures are being kept under review."