CHANGES to car parking prices 'don't make any sense' and will only encourage people to drive into city, according to Oxford Pedestrians Association.

Oxford City Council has revealed it will be raising prices at six car parks outside the city centre but freezing its prices at inner city sites from April 1.

The pedestrian group's chairwoman Sushila Dhall said it sent out the wrong message and could leave Oxford 'incredibly congested' once the Westgate shopping centre opens.

She said: "It doesn't make sense to increase prices in East Oxford and not in the centre – it sends out the message that drivers should park in the city centre.

"I can't imagine what it will be like once the Westgate opens, it could be incredibly congested.

"But the money made from these prices need to go back into schemes which encourage fewer private car journeys into the city."

"We would like to see car clubs and car-sharing schemes set up and any other measures to reduce car journeys and get people onto public transport."

Union Street, St Clements, Cutteslowe, Hinksey Park, Walton Well Road and both Cutteslowe car parks will all cost more with increases ranging from 10p to £1.70.

The price of parking in Union Street for three to four hours will jump from £4.40 to £5.40 and the four to six hour charge will soar from £4.80 to £6.50.

The other car parks have increased charges by 10p or 20p per time period.

But the council confirmed none of its city centre car parks – including Oxpens, Gloucester Green and Worcester Street – would be increasing.

The council has allowed Oxford Westgate Alliance –leaseholders of the new development – to sets its own charges for the 1,000-space shopping centre car park but the centre’s charges have not yet been revealed.

In December council bosses announced the local authority would be reviewing its parking charges with Westgate's potential parking charges in mind.

The council's board member for planning, Alex Hollingsworth, said: "We can confirm that minor increases in parking tariffs have been restricted to six car parks. All other city council car parks remain unchanged.

"When reviewing tariffs, the council must consider whether the current level of charge manages the spaces for the benefit of all our customers.

"After reviewing the parking charges this year, it was the council’s view that certain tariffs needed to be altered to achieve this."

Certain vehicles using Redbridge park and ride’s coach and lorry car park are also faced with paying more every day.

Minibuses will pay £10 – rather than £7.50 – for four to 24 hour stays and motorhome owners will pay £5, up from £2 for the same period.