PARKING charges for short-stay parking are set to go up in two car parks in East Oxford.

It is hoped that the increases, which will affect stays of up to four hours in the St Clements and Union Street car parks, will raise almost £50,000 in additional income for Oxford City Council.

Charges in St Clements will rise from 70p to 80p for an hour, from £1.30 to £1.50 for one to two hours, from £2.50 to £2.60 for two to three hours and from £5 to £5.50 for three to four hours.

In Union Street, charges will rise from 50p to 60p for one hour, from 50p to 70p for one to two hours, from £1 to £2 for two to three hours and from £2 to £2.50 for three to four hours.

The charges for longer stays in both car parks will remain the same.

The increases were agreed by the East Area Parliament at a meeting on Wednesday.

Councillors had been due to decide the charges in April, but concerns had been raised about the potential impact on business.

Free parking at the Union Street car park for parents dropping off pupils at East Oxford Primary School, in Cowley Road, will be available for a limited time, while building work on a children's centre at the school site is in progress, although details of how this might work have not yet been finalised.

Overall, it is expected that the two car parks will have brought in about £262,555 of income for 2006-2007, £45,000 less than was budgeted for, or 14.7 per cent under budget.