DAILY parking rates would need to go up by ten per cent every year until 2023 to tackle an annual £300,000 council shortfall.

Following a public consultation carried out in November last year, Vale of White Horse District Council’s Cabinet have approved several changes to parking arrangements in the area.

Car parks, in Abingdon, Faringdon and Wantage collectively cost more than £700,000 a year to run, leaving the local authority with a major shortfall.

Under the new changes, drivers will be forced to pay more every time they use car parks governed by the council for the next three years.

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At their meeting earlier in February, the Cabinet also approved measures aimed at reducing vehicle emissions.

In Abingdon, lorries will no longer be able to park in Rye Farm car park and specific spaces will be allocated for a coach and campervans in Hales Meadow car park.

This 'popular' move to free up more spaces in Rye Farm for smaller vehicles should encourage people visiting from the A415 to park on edge of Abingdon rather than joining the traffic in the town centre, helping to reduce congestion and improve air quality.

The Vale is also currently working with Oxfordshire County Council to introduce electric vehicle charging bays in some district council car parks.

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If implemented, under the new policy, parking enforcement officers will have new powers to fine motorists who park non-electric vehicles in electric charging bays, or who leave an electric vehicle parked in a charging bay when it’s not charging.

Vale councillor Andy Crawford said the new measures will play a 'small part' tackling the climate emergency.

He added: "These relatively simple changes can help reduce the number of large vehicles in our towns and harmful emissions and improve air quality for road users and pedestrians."