PARK-and-ride security guards will strike after talks with city council managers broke down a second time.

The council wants to save cash by making security guards at its Redbridge, Seacourt and Pear Tree sites work alone at night.

Union leaders think that would compromise safety, and so will start a series of one-hour walk-outs, starting at the Redbridge park-and-ride at 7.30am, at a date to be confirmed.

Although the walk-out is unlikely to cause major disruption, union leaders have warned their action could escalate.

At the centre of the row is the fact the Town Hall has raised parking charges at its park-and-ride sites from 60p to £1, at a time it wants security staff to work until 11.15pm alone.

Meanwhile, parking at the county council-run Thornhill and Water Eaton park-and-ride sites remains free.

Security guard Craig Barlow, who is paid £15,825, said: "We are definitely going on strike, we are just waiting for a date. They (city council) said we could work on our own and it wasn't a change to our job description."

City council parking manager Graham Smith said the move should not inconvenience commuters.