CAR park fees across Worcester are set to rise in September as part of changes to encourage bus use and free up city parking.

Users of Cattlemarket, King Street, Newport Street and St Martin's Gate parks can expect an hour to cost 70p, £1.40 for two hours, and £2.10 for three hours. Stays longer than six hours rise to £6 from Monday, September 4.

It means city workers who use these car parks on work days will have to pay another £1 each week.

Worcester City Council Cabinet agreed the tariff changes on Tuesday as part of a scheme to divide city car parks into six zones depending on their proximity to the centre.

The zones are rainbow colour coded, and range from central parks through to the park and ride bases on the outskirts.

Red Zone one parks - Copenhagen Street, Corn-market and Providence Street - will not be affected.

The zoning scheme is aimed at harmonising the cost structure for private car parking and park and ride schemes, said the city council's deputy leader Simon Geraghty.

"We want to encourage people wherever possible to use park and ride, but to have the choice to go right into the city centre if they need to."

"This is not an anti-car measure, it is giving drivers more choice, but encouraging them to make a sensible one about how they come into Worcester."

The price increase might encourage some drivers to catch the bus instead, freeing up spaces for other users making occasional trips.

The cabinet's decision has yet to be passed by the full council on Tuesday, July 26.

l Meanwhile, Worcestershire County Council has started negotiations with Worcester Rugby Club and Worcester-shire Royal Hospital to use unused parking space as new park and ride sites

To cut private car congestion, the county council wants to use 200 rugby club parking spaces between Mondays and Saturdays excluding match days, and 400 spaces at the hospital on Saturdays.

The readers decide:

Darren Orgee, aged 24, of Evesham.

"The new prices aren't going to make any difference to me, and I won't be getting any buses - that's what I've got a car for."

Malcolm Frearson, aged 58, of Leamington Spa.

"It's not an option for me to use park and ride really.

"If the buses work I can't see any reason why more people won't use them.

Tony Jackson, aged 38, of Martin Hussingtree, near Worcester. "I thinks it's pretty disgusting, but it's a question of needs must. It's another inconvenience to use the town."

Rana Bauat, aged 23, of East Comer Road, St John's.

"If they want to stop people using the car parks they should put it up by more than 10p an hour. I usually use the buses anyway"