Marlovians have spoken out against controversial parking plans for the town centre amid fresh concerns about installing parking meters and double yellow lines in the High Street.

A consultation drop-in session at Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School drew dozens of residents who turned out to have their say on the plans, which could see people paying to park in the High Street and the surrounding roads.

All Saints Church, in the High Street, fears wedding cars and funeral hearses will not be able to stop in front of the church as Bucks County Council wants to introduce parking bays with meters there.

In an email to couples, seen by the Marlow Free Press, weddings co-ordinator Dennis Munday wrote the measure, if introduced, would “severely” affect their wedding days.

He wrote: “I have been made aware that Buckinghamshire County Council is proposing to replace the current on-street parking arrangement in the town centre with marked parking bays and payment meters.

“This will not affect your guests who we would advise should park in one of the town centre car parks.

However it is planned that marked parking bays will be installed on the Causeway alongside the churchyard.

“At the moment, the roadway here is marked with double yellow lines and up to now wedding cars (and funeral cars) have parked on these yellow lines without penalty.

“If this change goes ahead it is likely that there will be no space for a wedding car to stop to unload and then wait to take you away to your reception venue.

“Indeed it is possible that a wedding car could collect a ticket for parking outside a bay.”

One bride, who is getting married at the church next year and did not want to be named, said: “I understand that there are issues with congestion in Marlow and that these need to be addressed.

“I am not too concerned on my own behalf – although it would mean losing a substantial deposit on the car we’ve booked as it just won’t be workable.

“However, imagine getting a ticket or to have the extra stress of where the funeral car is going to stop on the day of the funeral.

“I love Marlow and All Saints’ and would still get married there regardless.

“But I can imagine that for other couples it may be a consideration. If it comes down to two locations, something like this could swing it out of Marlow’s favour.

“Many couples would have family and friends coming specifically for the wedding; staying in Marlow hotels, eating at Marlow’s restaurants.

“If that couple chooses to go elsewhere, they take the whole wedding party with them – and the money they would have spent with local businesses.”

BCC says around 83 per cent of parking in Marlow is already paid for with the off-street car parks, adding that it would be willing to discuss the option of having a free parking period within the pay-and-display bays to allow for shorter trips into the town centre.

Speaking at the drop-in session, resident Peter Gregory said installing the pay-and-display meters would “keep people away” from the town.

He said: “I think that Marlow is a great place. Having free parking in the High Street makes it a vibrant town.

“[BCC say] that 83 per cent of the parking in the town is already paid for. There’s absolutely no reason to make that 100 per cent.

“I think it will keep people away from the shops. I think that some of [BCC’s] arguments for it are very wrong.”

Alison Lewis, chairman of Wycombe Area Access for All, said the charity hopes to work with the county and town councils to make sure disabled drivers have somewhere to park.

She said: “We cannot take it away totally, which is what appears to be happening. That isn’t going to happen.

“It may be relocated a bit but we’re making sure that a significant bank of parking will be available for blue badge motorists.

“We will work together to do this.”

To have your say or for more information, visit democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/mgConsultationDisplay.aspx?ID=5348 before the closing date on March 10.