An hour of on-street parking in Blackpool now costs £1 – up from 60p last week.

A 90 minute stay will set motorists back £1.50, up from £1.

Price increases of up to 60 per cent have also hit council-run car parks, with the price of a four-hour stay on Central car park going from £4.40 to £7. The cost of a 24-hour stay has been cut to £7.

The increases were today dubbed "outrageous" by traders and angered shoppers.

Businessman Joey Blower, whose businesses on Queen Street have been hit by the on-street parking increase, said: "I don't know how the council can possibly justify such an outrageous increase.

"There are five premises empty on Queen Street but nobody will want to take them on with parking being so expensive.

"I love Blackpool but I think it's about time the council thought about the impact such high parking charges have on visitor numbers."

Shoppers agree. Paul Hornby, 24, of Radcliffe Road, Fleetwood, who was parking at Topping Street, said: "I think the new charges are ridiculous.

"There is no way I'm paying them.

"I would rather just take my chances with getting a ticket."

Rosemary Smith, 72, of Victoria Road West, said: "£1.50 for 90 minutes is pricey.

"I live in Cleveleys and Wyre Council give a residents parking permit for their car parks.

"So if I need something I go to Cleveleys or Poulton where I can park for free."

Mike Bentley, from The Continental Hotel on Queen Street ,added: "The new charges are bound to have a negative impact on the town.

"It's not only the fact the parking is expensive, you get no lee-way with the traffic wardens, if you are a couple of minutes late, you are sure to get a ticket."

Blackpool Council defended the rises and said they were part of a major review of parking.

Julian Kearsley, executive director for business services, said: "Every year we review our parking charges. The review has resulted in a number of charges staying the same and some increasing.

"This is the first time since 2006 we have increased on street charges.

"The last thing we want to do is drive people away from the town centre. Our prices are fair and similar to what other towns charge."

Conservative councillors campaigned hard against on-street parking charges when in opposition.

Just last year, Tory councillor Henry Mitchell slammed the then Labour administration for raising parking charges by up to 20 per cent.

Coun Mitchell said he could not comment on the rises now imposed by his own group.

But Coun Ian Fowler, cabinet member for business services which includes parking, said: "We don't put charges up just to raise revenue.

This is not a cash cow.

"Everything is looked at very carefully to make sure we don't disadvantage anyone. We need people to come into town and to come into our shops.

"Hopefully better shops, including Debenhams when it opens, will be a catalyst and bring more people into town."

Coun Ivan Taylor, leader of the Labour group on Blackpool Council, said he believed some of the increases were "excessive."

He said: "We have to be careful that we don't deter people from using the town centre by having increases of this magnitude.

"I think the council ought to reconsider its position."