The reductions were introduced to help boost trade over the Christmas period.

Money from the scheme came from the central Government area-based grant but not all of the £22,000 was used so the scheme was brought back in until the cash ran out.

This has now happened and the council will be returning parking charges to their regular fees as on Monday April 6.

Coun Tim Ashton, Cabinet Member for Environmental Wellbeing, said: "We were happy to be able to help businesses in the area by addressing parking charges during a very quiet and testing business period. The funding for this has now run out and so the charges will revert back to their original levels.

"The charges do however still remain highly competitive with other local authority parking charges within Lancashire and with the summer upon us and Easter over the next few weeks I would expect to see business pick up through increased visitors to the borough."

The reductions caused controversy in February when a group of opposition councillors demanded a review of the ruling party's decision to reintroduce the scheme.

They argued that the money should have been used by the planning department to prepare policies for climate change initiatives, as directed by the Government, and now want the council's attitude to parking to be reviewed.

Independent Kirkham Councillor, who led the call in, has pledged to set up a working party is to be set up to look at long -term car parking issues in Lytham and St Annes.