SATURDAY parking in Southend could be free during the winter to help hard-pressed residents and shoppers - but tourists will have to pay for it.

The town’s Liberal Democrat group has put forward the suggestion as part of a series of proposals for how to improve the lives of council tax payers and shop owners.

The party believes Southend Council’s car parks should be made free on Saturdays during a undefined “winter period” to give a much-needed a boost to shoppers and retailers.

The move would be paid for by hiking prices at seafront car parking spaces during the summer to cash in on the seasonal tourist boom.

Graham Longley, the Lib Dem leader, said: “What we’re talking about is introducing ‘differentiated’ parking - that is, different prices depending on the day and time of year - which is already commonplace elsewhere.

“The people that live in this town are already having to put up with a lot, and some measures to ease that would be most welcome I think.

“I do not believe tourists will be put off coming to Southend by a few extra pence on their parking, because they simply do not think that way.”

Parking charges have become a political hot potato in Southend in recent years.

Residents and town centre retailers have repeatedly called for lower prices to stop disillusioned shoppers heading to out-of-town shopping centres, such as Lakeside or Bluewater, instead.

Earlier this month, the Echo revealed council chiefs were considering plans to introduce one hour’s free parking at some car parks in the borough.

However, it is not clear how widely the discount - which would cost the authority about £80,000 a year - will be applied, if it is approved at all.

The Lib Dems’ suggestions will be considered as part of the council’s budget planning for the next financial year, meaning it cannot be introduced before April.

Tony Cox, the Tory councillor responsible for transport, said he welcomed the ideas, but it remained to be seen whether they would be workable.

He added: “It has already been recognised that parking charges are something which we need to look at.

“However, there are a lot of jobs which depend on the tourism industry in Southend, so the last thing we want to do is make the town a no-go area for visitors.”