FOOT-AND-MOUTH and the resulting fall in visitor and tourist numbers has had a big impact on car park income in South Lakeland and it has been largely felt in the Lakes.

South Lakeland District Council's head of highways and public services, Morris Brundrett told members of the planning and transportation committee that ticket sale income is currently £11,850 below budget.

While the money the council gets from car parking in towns such as Kendal and Ulverston has increased, there has been a dramatic fall in the Lakes area which was particularly hard hit in April.

In that month, income dropped by £16,136 compared to what was raised in 2000.

Since then there has been a steady improvement.

Councillors were also told that permit sales had declined, probably due to the increase in fees and charges at the beginning of the year and the exclusion of permit holders from the Westmorland Shopping Centre car park.

Coun Brendan Jamieson said it was interesting to see that, with the council increasing the price of permits by 22 per cent, sales had dropped by 27 per cent, resulting in a fall in income of over £4,000.

He called for a cut in the price of permits to try to encourage more sales.

"We are reducing the amount of income coming in because of a disproportionate increase.

It is something we need to address," he said.

But Coun Bob Bolton was less concerned about the fall in the number of permit holders, pointing out that it created more spaces for people to park.

"We might have lost £4,000 but we could have gained £10,000 by allowing more people to park," he said.