AN EXTENSION to the car park at Hanborough railway station opened last week – but this will be followed by a crackdown on nuisance parking.

The 191-space car park, which has cost £400,000 to build, has quadrupled the number of spaces at the station in Long Hanborough.

But new car park fees have been imposed for the first time at the station.

Double yellow lines have been painted in Main Road and several nearby roads to prevent commuters parking on verges outside homes.

West Oxfordshire District Council will issue give warning letters to drivers parking on verges until the weekend, but will regularly patrol the area from Monday and issue £25 fines.

The previous 55-space car park was often full by 7am and dozens of drivers used to park on the nearby verges – to the anger of residents.

Oxfordshire County Council has also invested £35,000 to improve the entrance, install new signs and create extra cycle spaces.

County council deputy leader Rodney Rose said: “We welcome this new car park, which will make it easier for people to drive to the station and make journeys by train rather than sit in traffic queues on the A40 or A44.

“Local people have waited a long time for adequate car parking at this station and our partnership with First Great Western has delivered again.”

First Great Western managing director Mark Hopwood said: “We continually look for ways to improve customer experience.

“Whether that is through additional capacity or better facilities, we are willing to make the investment to ensure the best service possible.”

The car park was built on redundant land previously used by a plant hire firm.

The number of journeys made from the station has soared by 185 per cent since 1998, from 47,946 passengers that year to 136,522 in 2011-12.

An 83-space extension to the car park at Charlbury station was opened last October. FGW is understood to be looking at possible sites for additional parking adjacent to Kingham station.