PARKING charges for long stays at the car park under Oxford's Westgate shopping centre might be increased in future.

Oxford City Council heard that its cabinet member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford, Tom Hayes, met with the Westgate's management after long queues plagued roads outside the shopping centre between summer and autumn last year.

Responding to requests for an update from Liberal Democrat opposition leader Andrew Gant, Mr Hayes said: "I was clear with the representatives from the Westgate Alliance in the meeting that we considered the parking charges at the Westgate car park to be comparably low and not in line with Gloucester Green and Worcester St car parks."

READ AGAIN about queues outside the car park here, and the debate over raising parking fees

He added: "Westgate Alliance agreed to review longer-stay parking charges and consider changing them to fall in line with Worcester St and Gloucester Green car parks."

Mr Hayes said he also asked the Westgate to promote Oxford's park and ride stops as an alternative to drivers coming into the city centre.

He added the current lockdown meant council staff were working towards changes 'when the time comes to encourage people back to the city '.