JUST a handful of councillors responded to a questionnaire which asked them if they had voted for increased parking charges in Marlow.

Businessman Will Pascal, survey organiser, described the response as pathetic.

In April parking charges in Marlow car parks went up with some tariffs rising by 50 per cent. Only three out of the 16 members of Wycombe District Council's former planning environment and transportation committee (PET), responsible for the hike, returned the single question survey which asked, Did you vote in favour of the increase?

Cllr Malcolm Blanksby (Ind, Marlow Bottom) and Cllr Maurice Oram (Lib Dem, Marlow South), responded stating they voted against the proposals.

Cllr Chris Oliver, former PET chairman, also responded. He defended the increases claiming they had given the issue considerable thought after a consultation in Marlow, but did not say which way he voted.

He added: "All members of the PET committee had a copy of my response."

Mr Pascal took the action after picking-up a flyer sent out by Marlow Chamber of Trade and Commerce urging people to phone the council if they were against the recent sharp rise in parking charges. The district council has received 300 complaints on the increased parking across the district and majority of those have been from the Marlow area.

Mr Pascal said: "Presumably these councillors considered the whole situation very carefully and decided to vote according to their conscience. If so then surely they would be happy to stand-up to the people of Marlow and defend their vote?"