CHANGES to car park charges in parts of the Dorset Council area come into effect on April 1.

Sunday charging will apply in all car parks and morning charges in Purbeck will start at 8am instead of the current time of 10am.

The changes come as part of an ongoing review of car parks following the creation of Dorset Council and aim to make car park charging more comparable across the council area.

The changes were agreed at a Cabinet meeting in December.

Purbeck charges will run from 8am until 6pm instead of 10am until 7pm and the all-day charge in Lyme Regis and West Bay will go up from £2 to £8.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: "I feel that these changes strike a balance between supporting our town centres and high streets, as well as ensuring charging is fair and can sustain our car parks across the county.

"The standardisation of car park charging times across the council area will provide residents and visitors with a seamless transition from town to town, knowing exactly when they will need to pay at one of our car parks.

"We’re continuing our work to make car park charging more comparable across the council area, which will include in depth discussions with town and parish councils and local accessibility groups. This includes exploring the idea of a council-wide shoppers permit."