AFTER four years of rows and controversies Parkwise looks to be limping to its demise.

The future of the Lancashire County Council parking warden scheme was thrown into chaos earlier this year after bosses said the scheme had lost £1million.

Farcically, parking chiefs then admitted an accounting error had been made and the scheme was not in the red at all.

But, with some district councils believing the hardline actions of the wardens was discouraging visitors to our town centres, a full review was launched.

And today Ribble Valley Council has announced that it does not want to take part in any successor to Parkwise.

Without a consensus of councils, the scheme is likely to be disbanded.

There is a lot to be decided but one option is for districts to manage off-street and the county council on-street parking.

Whatever the form of the replacement, lessons need to be learned.

We’ve seen buses, police cars, people making charity deliveries and disabled drivers who put their blue badge upside down being booked.

The replacement needs to target the true rogue parkers and remember that the prosperity for our towns depends on them getting visitors.