A CAR park used by shoppers visiting Bournemouth has changed to a 'pay and display' facility.

The Richmond Gardens Multi Storey car park is currently operated by an entry barriers system, meaning drivers can pay for the time they spend in the town.

However, now motorists will have to display tickets in their windscreens.

Letters have been sent to town centre workers who hold permits for the car park to warn them of the charges.

It reads: “The car park will no longer have an entry barrier system.

“It will be a pay and display car park for the foreseeable future; therefore you will no longer require the swipe card for the entry and exit of the car park.

“Your permit must be clearly display [SIC] in the windscreen of the vehicle, failure to display the permit clearly could result in the issue of a penalty charge notice. In future all permits for this car park will have the vehicle registration number on them.”

Currently, a permit for the facility costs £800 per year.

A 12-month permit for Richmond Hill's long-stay car park is £788.

A spokesperson from the borough council said: “We recognise that some customers prefer to pay when they leave the car park and it's our intention to reintroduce this system in due course.

“Unfortunately, the old system was no longer reliable, resulting in a significant number of customer complaints.”

She added that the new system is a “temporary measure”, adding: “The tariff at Richmond Gardens Car Park remains the same as previously.”