HEREFORD’S long-awaited park and ride scheme could be running within a year – partly paid for by rises in parking charges.

A new range of charges pushes up the price of short stay parking in the city centre but offers all-day parking at Merton Meadow for £1.

Most other charges at those central city car parks owned or managed by Herefordshire Council rise to range from 60p for up to an hour to £1 for an hour.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, cabinet member for transport, told the Hereford Times he was hopeful of extra cash from the charges being invested in park and ride, with a start on the scheme – off the A49 at Holmer – underway within a year.

“We want to price long-term parking out of the city centre, making it short-term/high turnover. Commuters should be encouraged to use long-term car parks on the fringes on the city,” said Coun Wilcox.

“All day parking at Merton Meadow for £1 will leave more space in the medium and short-term car parks for shoppers and tourists,” he said.

The new charges, the first rise for more than four years, are pitched as keeping pace with inflation and boost the council’s annual income by nearly £300,000 a year, according to initial estimates.

In the market towns the new charges for cars mean: Bromyard: Long stay parking in Rowberry Street is still free. Charges for Tenbury Road now range from 40p up to an hour to £1.20 for over three hours.

Kington: High Street, Love Lane, and Market Hall Street all stay free. In Mill Street charges now range from 30p for up to an hour to £1.20 for over four hours.

Ledbury: St Katherine’s car park becomes medium/short stay with charges rising from 40p for one hour to £1.20 for a four hour maximum stay. Bye Street charges now range from 40p for one hour to £1.50 for over four hours, Lawnside Road from 30p an hour to £1.20 for over four hours. Parking in Bridge Street stays free.

Leominster: 40p for up to an hour to £1 for up to three hours maximum in the central area (excluding the service delivery area and its 30 -minute limit). Dishley Street charges are now 30p for up to an hour to £2 for over four hours.

All parking in Broad Street and Etnam Street is still free, with the later subject to a three-hour maximum.

Ross-on-Wye: No charges on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Charges range from 40p for up to an hour to £2.80 for over four hours at Corn Exchange, Crossfields, Edde Cross Street, Red Meadow, and The Maltings.

Homs Road is 70p all day, King’s Acre (lower and upper) 80p all day, and Kyrle Street £1 all day. Parking in Wilton Road stays free.

Herefordshire Council says its parking policy reflects the differences in the role of each market town. It was “not considered appropriate” to set the same charges in each town.

In Hereford, the city council was “disappointed” at increased charges that it feared would deter rather than promote shopping.

Leominster Town Council wanted the Dishley Street charge linked to the level for Hereford’s Merton Meadow. The council ruled this out, saying Merton Meadow was a designated long-stay and Dishley Street medium-stay.

In Ross, the town council specifically requested that the charges on Sundays and Bank Holidays were removed. Ross was the only market town where such charges applied.