PLANS to offer free parking during the festive season have fallen foul of some green Worcester residents.

Free parking will be on offer from after 3pm as well as on Sundays in the run up to Christmas.

But the official Twitter announcement from Worcester city council was met with a backlash from concerned members of the public.

Former Mayor and County Councillor Paul Denham, said: "We have encouraged people to drive into the city for far too long when we need to be lowering our congestion, not encouraging it.

"There is a view amongst certain councillors that the shops would suffer if you discouraged commuting into the city centre by car but in reality a lot of the time its congestion caused by cars that puts people off in the first place.

"We had a temporary park and ride service for the Victorian Fayre which was £3.00 for a return journey and now parking is being made free which I feel totally sends out the wrong message."

A spokesperson for Bike Worcester, which campaigns for more support for cycling in the city, said: "We are disappointed that despite declaring a climate emergency, the city council are offering free car parking.

"This does nothing to address the problems that face our city such as traffic congestion, obesity and the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

"In Hereford, the council have offered free bus services to get shoppers out of their cars."

In reponse, the city council said: "Worcester City Council is working to help the city become carbon neutral by 2030 and has put in place an Environmental Sustainability action plan.

"We are committed to supporting city centre traders during the crucial period in the run-up to Christmas, and we encourage people to visit Worcester’s fantastic range of independent and national shops on foot and by bike, bus or train.

“We also know that budgets are tight at this time of year for many families and the Christmas parking offer is something that they find very helpful – and it also provides a useful fillip to the city’s economy.”

The free afternoon parking will run until Christmas Eve, while free all-day parking is offered on Sunday, December 12 and Sunday, December 19.

Worcester's former park and ride service to the city centre, in Perdiswell, was permanently closed on September 1 2014.