PAY and display fees should be scrapped in Bewdley for the next two years to throw a lifeline to suffering traders, it has been claimed.

The charges should be abolished until a massive flood defence project - set to seize the last free spaces in the town - is completed, town councillor Nigel Knowles said.Bewdley town councillor Nigel Knowles wants charges at Dog Lane car park abolished.

Mr Knowles - who will be seeking backing from members of Bewdley Town Council for the proposal on December 1 - said: "It is to help trade and give people the confidence that it is easy to park in Bewdley.

"I think the tendency is to go where the car parking is free and with so much disruption I think it is enough to put shoppers off."

Revenue generated by parking charges in Bewdley did not measure up to cash taken in Kidderminster and Stourport, he added.

Business leader Colin Billingham welcomed the idea as a major step towards getting more shoppers into the town, which he said is still suffering the effects of the disruptive flood defence work on Severnside North completed last year.

Neighbouring Severnside South is now being redesigned as part of the latest flood defence project - which started in July - meaning the permanent loss of about 40 free spaces.

Mr Billingham - vice chairman of Bewdley Chamber of Trade - said: "We are also losing Gardners Meadows car park by Severnside South now the work has started - it only costs £1.40 a day to park there."

Meanwhile, Dog Lane car park in the town centre charged in excess of £4 a day - which was too much, he said.

District councillor Brian Glass - portfolio holder for car parks - said scrapping the fees could put up council tax and "struggle" to get the support of Wyre Forest District Council, which sets car parking rates.

However, he said: "I am not averse to helping any traders and we have got to do all we can for them and I am prepared to discuss it to see if there is anything we can do."

Car parks chief Andrew Dickens, head of cultural, leisure and commercial services at the district council, said Mr Knowles' idea could be incorporated into the council's budget for 2003/2004 - decided in February - if it won the backing of district councillors.