CAR parking charges are set to bite on December 1 after Waverley Borough Council waved through a raft of new inflation-busting charges at their meeting on Tuesday.
But the good news is that they will not be the higher tariffs recommended to the council last month.
Instead, the Lib Dem controlled decision-making executive committee has decided to revert to the original rises set out in August of this year.
Commuters and motorists who use the long-stay car parks will be the hardest hit, suffering an increase from £420 to £560.
Season tickets for the town's central car park will rise by £560 to £790 while season tickets in Chestnut Avenue will remain the same at £450.
These annual charges will increase in April 2004.
Short-stay parking will rise by five pence for up to three-quarters-of an hour in the High Street and Chestnut Avenue car parks, but increase by 20 per cent to 60 pence for the first two hours in both car parks.
A decison was also passed by the executive committee to undertake a full review and consultation on car parking including price banding, over the next six months, which will form part of the new budget next April.
Following Tuesday night's meeting a political war of words broke out between the Lib Dems and Conservatives.
The Lib Dem leader of Waverley Borough Council, Chris Slyfield, accused the Conservatives of using £600,000 from the council reserves to plug a "Tory black-hole" in a failed attempt to influence the election in May".
"The Conservatives have failed to get a proper return from Waverley's car parks. Over the last six years it has thrown away over £1 million of council tax payers money," claimed Mr Slyfield.
David Harmer, leader of the Conservatives, refuted the Lib Dem accusations and said: "The proposed car park charge increase will cause huge despair among local people."