PARKING charges will be introduced at a popular Blackburn park, it has been confirmed.

The new scheme will be introduced from next spring for everybody who uses the two main car parks at Witton Park.

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Lighting will be installed at the main Arena car park and the large car park next to the all-weather pitches, off Preston Old Road.

Charges of 50p for two hours or £1.50 for the whole day will be enforced Monday to Sunday from 8am to 9pm.

Parking at Tower Road Car Park and at Pleasington will remain free along with limited spaces close to Witton Park Academy.

These car parks are suitable for use during daylight hours only.

New technology will be used to manage the scheme to allow for necessary exemptions and also ease of payment, Blackburn with Darwen Council has said.

Parking season tickets will also be made available.

Cllr Damian Talbot, executive member for culture, leisure and young people, said: “The scheme has been reviewed to consider the financial impact of a 6pm cut off and the fairness of such a decision on all park users.

“The need to invest in lighting as well as the scale of the budget challenges mean the charges will be implemented in full and up to 9pm.

“Due to the need to implement new lighting the parking charge scheme will not be introduced until spring 2017. We will use this time to work with users.”