CAR parking charges have been introduced at Hartlebury Railway Station in a bid to improve services.
The parking charges have been introduced at the station on Wednesday, April 15.
During off-peak times, it will now cost £2.50 to park your car at Hartlebury Station, and it will cost £3.50 for rail passengers to park up for the day.
The price will be £13.30 to get parking privileges at Hartlebury Station for a week and it will cost £38 for a month and £305.10 for a year.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Railway, which operates Hartlebury Station, said that revenue raised from car parking is used to improve services and reduce the cost of running the railway to the taxpayer.
The spokesperson added: “Parking charges were introduced at Hartlebury on Wednesday, April 15, bringing the site in line with nearby stations such as Kidderminster and Droitwich Spa, where charges already apply.
“The introduction of parking charges is known to reduce the impact of ‘rail heading’ where motorists drive many miles to avoid charges at their local station, squeezing out local residents.
“Discounts are available on weekly, monthly or annual parking permits, and payment can be made via the Saba website, app or in person via the ticket machine at the station.”
West Midlands Railway confirmed to the Standard that parking charges had not changed at Kidderminster or Droitwich Spa stations.
According to On Time Trains, Hartlebury has been the 1,940th busiest railway, with 182 entries and exits per day.
In total, 84 per cent of trains that have stopped at the station over the past six months were either on time or less than five minutes late.
Prices for off-peak, daily and weekly parking at Hartlebury station are identical to the prices at Droitwich Spa, which has been the 847th busiest station in the country over the past six months.
However, parking at Kidderminster Station, the 448th busiest station in the country over the past six months, is significantly more expensive than Hartlebury, with off-peak parking costing £3.70, daily parking costing £5.40 and weekly parking costing £19.10.
Visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/stations/hartlebury for more information on car parking prices.
