CAR park charges in Redcar and Cleveland will be cut from today.

The new charges will mean that motorists will be able to pay 60p to park for up to an hour at a number of sites, instead of the previous minimum of a pound for two hours.

In some parts of Redcar seafront, the charge will be 50p for up to two hours. An annual Monday to Friday season ticket for long-stay parks will be available for £350, saving £150, compared to the daily rate.

The charges were introduced after complaints that parking charges were making it too expensive to shop in the town.

Councillor Sylvia Szintai, of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: "We have listened very carefully to the representations we have received from both individual members of the public and the Redcar Business Association, and I hope that these price reductions will provide a further incentive for people to visit Redcar and Saltburn.

"Our parking operation has to reflect the demand from motorists and we shall be closely monitoring the results of this exercise.

"If, in fact, we discover that by attracting more users the overall revenue actually increases, we will certainly consider whether it might be possible to adopt a similar approach at other car parks in the borough.