INCONSIDERATE commuters who park poorly at Cradley Heath, Langley Green and Rowley Regis rail stations will be fined £60 from September.

Centro announced the clampdown after a spate of incidents including when 170 cars were blocked in at Cradley Heath rail station by wrongly parked vehicles.

Offenders will have 28 days to pay the fine before the cost jumps up to £120 but will have the right of appeal.

Councillor Roger Horton, Centro lead member for rail, said the move was not a money-making measure.

He said: “It is being done to tackle a serious problem – some of the parking we have seen has been, quite frankly, atrocious.

“The actions of a selfish few cause great inconvenience for the many passengers who park responsibly."

He added: “Park and Ride has been a real success story scheme in encouraging people to use public transport and a minority of people can’t be allowed to detract from it.”

Two parking officers working for a private company will now patrol park and ride sites using handheld ticket machines.

All money raised from parking tickets will go towards the costs of the running the enforcement scheme.

In 2013 there were 80 recorded complaints, and in a two month monitoring scheme in January and February this year Centro received 20 complaints.

Centro and its partners have invested more than £15 million in expanding and managing train station facilities since 1997.

Cllr Horton said: “Of course it is frustrating when you can’t find a parking space but people just cannot be allowed to park where they like.

“If motorists are going to use Park and Ride we would urge them to plan their journeys accordingly.”