THE chairman of Oxford City Council’s top watchdog committee has expressed concern about park and ride fees.

Green councillor Craig Simmons told the council’s executive board on Thursday night that scrutiny committee members feared Oxfordshire County Council could charge different rates to the city council.

He said this could lead to unnecessary extra car journeys, and spoke of fears aboutalso expressed concerns about plans put forward by the county to close some city-owned park and rides.

Mr Simmons, speaking at the Town Hall, told the board: “What the committee was hoping was that some sort of agreement with the county could be made to protect our own income going forward.”

Last year car park fees generated about £770,000 for the city council. This year the council is budgeting for just under £910,000.

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Executive board member for finance Cllr Ed Turner said such an agreement with the county council might be difficult to reachobtain.

He said: “We too would like to cement charges with the county and prevent these extra journeys. People may remember that when parking at Thornhill was free it did not have a great effect on traffic in the area.

"But ultimately the charges levied by the county council are for it to decide."