New ticket machines which ask for a car's registration are being installed in Oxford's car parks to stop beggars selling on pay and display tickets to motorists.

Oxford City Council is replacing ageing machines with modern equipment that will put an end to beggars getting unexpired tickets from motorists and selling them on to other drivers.

The main feature of the machines is a keypad for drivers to enter their car's registration before they can obtain a ticket. The registration number is then printed on the ticket.

If the registration number of a parked vehicle does not match that shown on the ticket, then an £80 fine will be incurred.

The machines, which are designed to save the council money, have already been installed in the Worcester Street car park, which has been targeted by beggars.

In April, Kelly Horwood became the first person in the county to be banned from a city car park for selling used tickets and begging at the pay-and-display machines at the Worcester Street site.

The new machines will now be added to the car parks in Union Street, Ferry Centre and the Gloucester Green underground car park.

By the end of the year, the new machines will also be able to take credit and debit cards. Susan Brown, the city council's executive member for crime and community safety, said: "The city council is always looking for ways to improve services for people in Oxford, and helping people to feel safe when parking their car is a priority."

Ed Turner, the council's executive member for strategic planning, housing and economic development, said: "The new pay and display machines are more reliable than the old machines and should make paying for parking easier.

"When credit and debit card payments are introduced later this year, the machines will really come into their own, preventing the problem of trying to find change to pay for parking and making it quicker."

The city car parks administration manager, Bob Peedell, has warned that the council would not hesitate to take further court action.