MOTORISTS parking in Worcester will have to pay more - because the city council needs to raise more money.

Prices are set to go up in 12 city centre car parks, earning the council an extra £160,000.

Among the sites affected are the former cattle market, King Street, Commandery Road, St Martin's Gate, Tybridge Street and Croft Road.

Car parking charges will be worth more than £3.3m to the council over the next year.

Once the new prices are introduced St Martin's Gate will annually generate £69,000 alone and the former cattle market site £29,000.

Leader of the city council Coun Simon Geraghty said: "Clearly, car parking is a major source of revenue - it is the second most important one after council tax.

"I don't feel that these charges are excessive - they are reasonable and broadly in line with inflation.

"When the park and ride system expands, we will be in a different

situation, but at the moment people do use

their cars, and we need to maintain reasonable prices.

"It is a modest increase, we feel. We must keep the charges in line with real-term prices."

The fee increases have been criticised by Coun Roger Berry of the Labour Party, who called it a "typical Tory stealth tax".

"They say council tax increases will be kept to 2.5 per cent - but then put other things up," he said.

"This is just a typical Tory stealth tax. Car parks are still good value, but I wish the council would say it believes in stealth taxes."

The car parking charges can have a knock on effect on shopping in the city.

Claire Wright from Stripes, an independent clothes store in Foregate Street, said: "Parking in the city centre is already difficult and an increase in the charges may encourage shoppers to go elsewhere.

"We have a lot of customers who travel from outside the city and these charges could affect that."

As the Worcester News reported last March, the city council has ordered a £25,000 review of city car parking to see if it can find room for extra spaces in Worcester.

congestion charges: page 4