BARNET Council’s free parking period over Christmas has been denounced as a “total farce”, over claims inadequate notice was given to motorists.

The claims were made by Councillor Alan Schneiderman, Labour’s environment spokesman, at a full council meeting on Tuesday (December 8).

Charges have been relaxed for parking bays and council-owned car parks on the weekends leading up to Christmas, in a bid to boost trade.

But Cllr Schneiderman said people were still queueing up to pay last weekend.

He said: “Following the chaos last year, when people were still charged, why have you got the same situation this year, where there was no notice and people are queueing up to pay at parking meters? It is a total farce. The idea is to encourage people to visit more town centres.”

Cllr Dean Cohen, Conservative chairman of the environment committee, replied: “I have raised that with officers today with regards to signs on meters.”

He also said the pay by phone system had been “fully tested” beforehand, to avoid the same problems as last year, when people were still charged for parking.