PLANS have been submitted to provide more than 850 extra parking spaces at Banbury station.

Chiltern Railways has submitted a planning application for a multi-storey car park with a footbridge connecting it to the station.

The four-storey car park would provide 707 spaces on land next to the Royal Mail sorting office and the firm’s control centre. It comes after the firm submitted plans in May for a temporary car park for 149 spaces opposite the station.

It hopes both will aid the expected loss of 376 spaces around the Tramway Industrial Estate when leases expire next summer.

Cherwell District Council will decide both plans.

Chiltern Railways business development director Graham Cross said: “We are committed to finding a long-term car parking solution to accommodate present and future rail passengers from the region and to avoid the loss of spaces when the current lease arrangements expire.”

The company told the council that passenger numbers were increasing at a “much faster rate” at Banbury than across the UK. This was down to better train services, new housing and extra parking, up from 254 spaces in 2005 to 631 spaces last year, it said.

Plans for more than 3,900 homes in the next 14 years will further increase demand.

Banbury commuter and Cherwell Rail Users Group chairman Chris Bates said: “Banbury has needed a proper car park for a long time.

“This will solve the space problem by putting the parking in one place. We would welcome this, subject to suitable access.”

Banbury Town Council leader Kieron Mallon welcomed the news. The Conservative said: “Parking at the station has been a problem for a while and it has been an aim and ambition of the town council for Chiltern Railways to get extra parking.”

The multi-storey would have a drop-off zone and short stay parking for a maximum of 20 minutes.