Notices have gone up in Dorset Council car parks advising drivers of changes to parking charges from April 1.

In West Bay, charges between April 1 and October 31 will go up from 50p for an hour and £2 all day to:

• 50p an hour
• £2 for two hours
• £3.50 for three hours
• £4.50 for four hours
• £6 for six hours
• £8 for all day

From November 1 to March 31, charges in West Bay will be:

• 50p for an hour
• £1.50 for two hours
• £3 for three hours
• £4 for four hours
• £5 for six hours
• £6 for all day

For workers who use these car parks, long stay parking permits are available on the Dorset Council website. A 12 month permit costs from £230.

Charges will also apply Monday to Sunday, except bank holidays, in all Dorset Council car parks.

The original recommendation to extend all evening charges to 8pm was withdrawn following concerns from many town and parish councils.

Councillor Ray Bryan, Dorset Council's portfolio holder for highways, travel and environment, said: "I feel that these changes strike a balance between supporting our town centres and high streets, as well as ensuring charging is fair and can sustain our car parks across the county.

"The standardisation of car park charging times across the council area will provide residents and visitors with a seamless transition from town to town, knowing exactly when they will need to pay at one of our car parks.

"We're continuing our work to make car park charging more comparable across the council area, which will include in depth discussions with town and parish councils and local accessibility groups. This includes exploring the idea of a council-wide shoppers permit."

Dorset Council has offered town councils six free parking days in its car parks each year. This is made up of Small Business Saturday in December, one weekday in December and four days for events which generate valuable footfall for the town.

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