Controversial new parking charges across Cheshire East come into effect from Bank Holiday Monday (May 26).

The new charges include hours being extended by four hours, covering the period from 8am to 10pm, as well as being introduced on Sundays.

There will also be an increase in some parking charges and permits.

Speaking when these changes were announced in March, chair of Cheshire East Council's highways and transport committee, Cllr Mark Goldsmith, said: "When benchmarked against neighbouring councils, it is clear that our current parking charges are significantly lower.

Cllr Mark Goldsmith. (Photo: Cheshire East Council)

"Nor do they reflect inflation as this is also only the second time parking charges have been increased since Cheshire East was formed in 2009.

"Coupled with the council's financial challenges, we have little option but to look at how we maximise our income and ensure that the charges we collect are sufficient to help cover the rising costs of maintaining, managing, and enforcing our car parks.

"Any surplus from parking charges is money that can be used to support other services that fall under the highways and transport committee, for example roads maintenance or Sunday and evening bus services."

The new council-operated car park changes are:

• Parking charges extended by four hours to cover the period 8am to 10pm
• Parking charges now introduced on Sundays – based on the weekday tariffs for each car park
• Introduction of a new tariff band allowing motorists to purchase parking for up to 14 hours
• An increase in some parking charges and permits, which reflects the tariffs charged by similar councils

Details of the new prices can be found here.