Council plans to charge for Saturday parking in residential streets have been dropped, as a survey suggests massive opposition to the idea.

Research by the Merton Park Ward Residents’ Association (MPWRA) found 88 per cent of residents in the ward opposed the extension of Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) from Monday to Friday to Monday to Saturday.

Earlier this year Labour-controlled Merton Council proposed making the change in 10 CPZs across the borough, but last week the authority said it would only do so if streets demanded more restrictions.

The survey, the results of which were published on Monday, attracted 632 replies from residents in the three areas of the ward that have a CPZ – near Circle Gardens, in Wimbledon Chase north of Kingston Road and towards Morden between Crown Lane, Martin Way and London Road.

A spokesman for MPWRA, which is represented on the council by the Merton Park Independents, said: “Overall, the message to Merton Council could hardly be clearer – scrap these proposals to extend parking controls to Saturdays.”

They added residents rejected Saturday charging because weekend congestion was not an issue in the area, and more measures would simply be a money-making exercise.

Minutes from a February meeting of the council’s overview and scrutiny panel outline a plan to implement new tariffs and charge hours.

But Councillor Andrew Judge, cabinet member for the environment, said changes to CPZs would only be made at the request of communities and if consultations showed they had public backing.

He claimed rolling out Saturday extensions “willy-nilly” had never been his party’s policy.

Councillor Debbie Shears, leader of the council’s Conservative group, said Labour were “just hitting the motorist every way they can”.

Conservative councillor David Dean attacked the independents for backing this year’s council budget, which included extra revenue from Saturday CPZs in £138,000 of parking savings, arguing they should have joined his party in trying to “vote this dreadful policy down”.

Independent councillor John Sargeant said the party had “compromised” on the issue to get the budget passed.

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