BARRIERS must be installed at Bicester’s car parks to save drivers cash, a councillor said after chiefs approved a major hike in charges.

Nick Cotter said drivers should get a ticket when they enter a car park, pay when they return and use the ticket to leave through a barrier.

At the moment they have to pay up front, and Cherwell District Council Liberal Democrat leader Nick Cotter said this was hitting motorists hard.

He spoke as the Conservative-run authority agreed to increase fares and fines, end free parking for blue badge disabled holders and introduce evening fees from next month.

It also revealed it collected £400,000 in fines in 2009/10, £140,000 more than expected. For 2010/11, £263,368 has come in so far, £19,000 more than expected.

Mr Cotter said: “I think this is purely a revenue raising measure.

“If people deliberately didn’t get a ticket of course they should not be able to get away with it. But we are also talking about someone who over-runs a dental appointment getting fined £50 and that’s what I object to.”

Machines should at least give change, he said.

He added: “With the amount they’ve coined in over the years, they should use a tiny percentage to reinvest in barriers.”

Nigel Morris, Cherwell’s executive member for community safety, street scene and rural pledged to investigate the calls but said: “There is quite a lot of cost. You’d have to have new barriers and machines and someone would need to be there.

“Some car parks will lend themselves to barrier parking easily and others won’t.”

Drivers who over-run are fined £50 and get a £10 discount if they pay in 14 days. Those who overstay or park outside lines are fined £70.

Council chiefs agreed on Monday to increase fines by £10 and introduce a premium charge of £100 for those who do not pay on time. This will bring in an extra £66,000.

Every parking band will also be increased. For example, the fees in Market Square will go up from 60p to 70p for half-an-hour, and £1.10 to £1.30 for an hour.

A council watchdog committee urged chiefs to think again but the executive rejected the call when it approved the charges on Monday.

The council also agreed to begin negotiations over a covenant for Watt's Way car park in Kidlington that would pave the way to bring in charges there.

The authority will need to change a convenant on the land which says charges can only be levied if there is a paid attendant on site.

The move would net the council £184,000 a year but has angered traders.

In a joint statement, Kidlington’s Liberal Democrat district councillors Tim Emptage, Alaric Rose and Doug Williamson, said: “We are adamant that a full consultation should be made prior to any changes.

“This is due to concerns that the commercial impact on local businesses and High Street shopping has not been investigated.”