WORSHIPPERS at two Kendal town centre churches are submitting a massive 360-name petition against plans to introduce Sunday charging on a car park they heavily rely on.

Representatives from St Thomas's Parish Church and Stricklandgate Methodist Church are to hand in their protest to Cumbria County Council next week in a bid to prevent charging at the front and rear car parks at nearby County Hall.

As reported in The Westmorland Gazette in November, the two churches have joined forces to bitterly oppose proposals that they believe are a "tax on worship".

Petition organiser from Stricklandgate Methodist Church, George Shotton, said the churches "must seem like a golden goose" to CCC, which has long-mooted the proposals but has yet to set a date for their imposition.

Around 500 people attend the three Sunday services each week at St Thomas's, while a further 150 gather at Stricklandgate Methodist Church.

If the standard charges for parking in Kendal were introduced, worshippers would pay £1.20 to go to church which amounts to more than £60 each year.

"These golden geese are not for laying," said Mr Shotton.

"Worshippers who have been attending these churches for years have never known charging before which makes us believe that we are seen as neglected assets.

"It is also interesting that free car parking was introduced in some car parks over Christmas this suggests that the Christmas of commercialism is favoured over the Christmas of religion!"

Mr Shotton said that worshippers already shared cars, easing congestion on Kendal's roads while reducing pollution.

He also stressed that elderly and immobile parishioners relied heavily on lifts and that current public transport on Sundays was inadequate.

Stricklandgate and Fell county councillor Dave Clarke said he was confident an acceptable solution for both sides would be thrashed out at a meeting that it is due to take place next Friday.

"I'm not against the charge in principle the county council already charges for parking on Saturdays but I think that Sunday morning should be kept free for the churches," he said.

"There are also local residents who use the car park who do not have on-street parking.

"We should not be disadvantaging both parties."

Stuart Pate, area support manager for CCC, said the authority was open to negotiation but he did not think a dispensation could be given to worshippers.

"We can't put ourselves in the position of giving special privileges," he said.

"Sunday has become a busy shopping day, which brings similar volumes of traffic to weekdays, although peak times are different.

"This brings an increased demand on parking, which is reflected in Sunday parking charges in a number of car parks."