A RAIL users' watchdog has hit out at a hike in car parking charges at Kidder-minster railway station of up to 36 per cent at a time when it claims services are deteriorating.

The Stourbridge Line Users' Group fears the increases are discouraging commuters.

Its chairman, Nigel Tolley, said people were driving to Stourbridge Junction station - where the car park was free - to avoid the charges.

Central Trains has increased the cost of an annual parking ticket from £180 to £225 - a rise of 36 per cent - with the monthly cost going up by 6.4 per cent, from £19 to £22.50.

"Car parking char-ges are not regulated and while we accept that there have to be charges to cover costs we believe these should be refunded against rail travel," said Mr Tolley.

The Stourbridge station is run by Centro and the users' group is campaigning for it to take over Kidder-minster's station, which would enable fees to be quashed.

Mr Tolley said commuters should not have to face increases in car parking and rail travel until Central Trains improved its services.

A Central Trains spokesman said the daily and weekly car parking charges had remained unchanged but the monthly and annual ticket incr-eases were necessary to cover investment in the station, to maintain its upkeep and provide security.

He added there was no evidence commuters had stopped using the Kidder-minster station and no reports of intimidation from gangs of youths in the evenings.

The spokesman warned that conductors were obliged to check tickets and passengers travelling to Birmingham were in a £20 penalty zone if caught without one.