LONG and short stay parking arrangements will be changing in Witney as part of a 12-month trial trial.

Currently people can park free for up to nine hours in the long-stay part of the Woolgate car park but from Monday, the limit to park in the 144 spaces will be reduced to three hours.

At the Marriotts multi-storey car park, the amount of time people can park free on the top two floors, 145 spaces, will increase from five to nine hours.

The three-hour limit for free parking will remain in the rest of the car park.

Parking arrangements at the council’s car parks in the rest of the town will not change.

Signs are being put up in both car parks to warn drivers of the changes, brought in by West Oxfordshire District Council.

The council estimates around 100,000 people use the town centre each week and demand for off-street parking is rising by five per cent each year.

Cabinet member for environment David Harvey said: “With free parking 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the opening of Marriotts Walk shopping centre, an extension to the Woolgate Shopping Centre, improvements to the Market and the town centre going from strength-to-strength, more people are visiting Witney and that is fantastic news.

“We recognise the need for longer-term planning to meet future needs and will be working with shopping centres, businesses and other interested parties to ensure we move forward in the best possible way.”