Misleading car parking signs around Dorchester should be switched off – according to town councillors.

The signs, which are designed to show how many vacant spaces there are in each Dorset Council-run car park, have not been working properly for several weeks.

Cllr Stella Jones told a town council meeting it was better for everyone when the electronic signs were completely switched off, as they had been recently, when engineers were upgrading them, because it was less confusing.

"It's now gone back to being ridiculous. At the weekend the signs said there were 230 spaces in Acland Road car park when it was half full. It puts local people and tourists off. Dorset Council should switch the system off, if they can't fix it," she said.

The meeting decided that town clerk, Steve Newman, should contact Dorset Council to find out if there was a realistic chance of the signs being restored to full working order.

There has been a history of malfunction with the signs since they were first installed more than ten years ago – initially caused by a poor mobile phone service which is used to relay information, coupled with sensor problems which are not 100 per cent accurate in detecting how many vehicles have entered or left the car parks and often takes no account of those which might have parked overnight.

In some instances, the signs were altered to read "open" or "spaces" rather than give the exact number of spaces which are available.

When asked about the problems earlier this year Dorset Council said that the signs were not malfunctioning but had been deliberately switched off awaiting a technical upgrade which would take place during August and September.

A council spokesman said: "The signs have all been upgraded and should now be working properly. If anyone is still finding the information displayed is incorrect, we would encourage them to talk to us directly. This will enable us to identify what is not working properly, and where, and rectify it."