Town leaders remain wary of attempts to introduce parking controls on their streets despite pledges to tone down a proposed meter scheme.

There was uncertainty in Seaford yesterday after East Sussex County Council said it had listened to residents' views and amended its controlled parking proposals.

Last year it put forward a scheme involving parking meters in the town centre and controlled permits on some streets.

More than 1,200 people wrote to complain against the proposals and several petitions were submitted calling for changes after an official consultation period in January and February.

Many people said the move would put off visitors from coming to the town and could destroy the local economy.

Yesterday the county council announced that it would be applying "a lighter touch"

to the situation. It has agreed to go back to the drawing board to work with Seaford Town Council and Lewes District Council on a more suitable scheme.

East Sussex county councillor Matthew Lock, responsible for transport and the environment, said: "The whole purpose of this consultation was to find out what people think.

"I hope it shows that when the people of Seaford speak we are willing to listen and to act on what they are telling us. There was a feeling that in some cases we were proposing a sledgehammer to crack a nut so we will now be looking at measures that will apply a lighter touch." Jon Freeman, leader of Seaford Town Council, said people in the town remained sceptical of the council's intentions.

He said: "The shops in this town are independent family-run businesses, they aren't big chains. If the county council bring in anything which deters shoppers we could have real problems. We only need to lose four or five shops for there to be a perception that the town is going downhill.

"We appreciate that the county council has listened and are pleased for a chance to seek a better solution but we remain concerned."

He said the car park in the town often had plenty of spaces available and might be better used if prices were lowered.

Coun Freeman said introducing permits on some streets could open up avenues for an extended permit system. In Brighton and Hove there has been an increased demand for permits to be introduced in streets close to existing controlled areas because of people taking advantage of the free spaces.

What do you think should be done to improved parking in Seaford? Leave your comments below.