TRAIN passengers face the prospect of paying to park at Moreton station after Thames Trains announced it was set to introduce parking charges.

The move met with dismay when town councillors heard about it at their meeting on Monday. They fear it could have a snowball effect on car parking in the rest of the town as passengers park elsewhere to try to avoid paying.

Thames says the new parking fees will come in at the end of August and will mean rail users paying £2 before 10am from Monday to Friday and 90 pence after that time, although cheaper weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual season tickets will be available. In a letter to the town council, the company added: "The car park will be principally reserved for rail users."

Press officer Martin Walter said: "We have been looking at parking charges for the best part of three years now and haven't adjusted them in that time."

The company says it needs to increase charges to fund a major programme of improved security at many of its stations and car parks. Mr Walter added that free car parks often filled with non-rail users, prompting complaints from train passengers.

The new charges were condemned by town councillor Lisa Davies, who said: "I think that with the amount you pay for a rain fare, to put £2 on top of that is outrageous."

Most Cotswold Line stations already charge for car parking, but councillors are worried that in Moreton people will try to avoid paying the charges by using the Station road shoppers' car park, which will then be filled with commuter cars. That could then prompt the district council to introduce charges there, putting pressure in turn on High Street car parking.

Councillor Rod Hooper warned: "If all the cars come into the High Street we will have to think about putting waiting restrictions on there. That way you would still get spaces for local people."

Yet councillor Harry Paviour warned: "Whatever restrictions you put in, it is going to deter some people from coming to Moreton to shop."

Councillors, who have in the past mooted the prospect of creating an extra car park in the town, are to monitor the situation before deciding whether to undertake a full-scale review of parking in Moreton.