MOTORISTS are bracing themselves for a 100 per cent hike to long stay charges in council car parks across Sandwell.

The cash-strapped local authority is doubling the charge in Cradley Heath, Blackheath, Old Hill and Oldbury from £2 to £4 from November 1 in a bid to raise more money.

But it has vowed not to increase charges again within the next two years and short stay parking in West Bromwich will be reduced to bring charges in line with the rest of the borough.

The £4 a day charge will also hit Sandwell Council staff, who will pay for car parking for the first time, in Oldbury’s West Bromwich Street car park.

The car park, next to the council’s Freeth Street headquarters, was originally for staff but has been open to public use as well for some years, free of charge.

A disgruntled council employee said there was “absolute anger” amongst staff at being forced to pay parking charges, totalling £240 a year for full-time staff.

They can apply for a “salary sacrifice” taking the charge out of their gross salary to reduce their national insurance contributions and income tax, in effect cutting the annual parking cost to £163.

Interest free loans are also available from the council for employees to cover the charges.

The employee - who did not want to be named - said: “It is still a pay cut and will hit those on minimum wage the hardest.”

He said staff had considered parking in the town’s Low Town or Albert Street public car parks, until discovering their daily charges were doubling.

“Some staff have no choice but to bring their cars to work because they use them during the day for work and are being penalised by this extra cost.

“I think a lot of council workers will park at the Dudley and Sandwell Railway Station car park instead which is free.”

The employee claimed it had also been suggested they could park in residential streets and walk 10 minutes to the council house.

He added that some colleagues were considering leaving their trade unions to put their subs towards the parking costs.

Sandwell Council leader Councillor Steve Eling, defend the charges saying it was “unfair to expect council taxpayers to keep subsidising staff car parking”.

He added: “It also means staff who park in West Bromwich using their annual permit will be paying less than they have previously to park.

“As the permits are now borough-wide and not town specific they can be used any day, at any time in any long stay council car park.”