New measures to simplify the classification of council owned car parks in Wyre Forest come into force next week.

From Monday 2 October all council owned car parks will become either short or long stay car parks making it easier for motorists to understand and creating greater consistency across the whole district.

The changes are designed to match the various needs of motorists, providing a high turnover of short stay parking places for shoppers and people visiting town centres and longer term parking for workers, visitors and tourists.

There should be minimal effect on most car parks, with the exception of Bridge Street car park in Stourport which will become short stay to give shoppers easy access to parking while visiting the town centre and boost local trade.

People wishing to stay longer than two hours will be able to park in nearby Raven Street car park which will become Long Stay.

Other changes being introduced include bringing the minimum age of eligibility for senior citizen season tickets into line with the state pension age.

The council is to extend its existing free parking offer – which gives motorists up to one hour’s free parking on certain car parks - to include Bromsgrove Street, Kidderminster.

Cabinet Member for Operational Services Councillor Rebecca Vale said: “These changes not only create greater consistency across the district’s council car parks, they simplify arrangements and should make it far easier for motorists to find parking spaces when and where they need them.”

New parking charges, which were approved in February 2017, also come into force on 2 October.

A full list of new Short and Long Stay car park charges and eligibility criteria will be available on Wyre Forest District Council’s website – at www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/parking from 1 October 2017.