CAR park costs have been frozen for 80 per cent of council parking spaces in York.

City of York Council chiefs said today that, for the first time in the authority's history, they had halted price increases at "four out of every five" spaces.

Although April 1 has traditionally been a time when increases in parking rates come into effect, tariffs will now remain the same at 81 per cent of car parking spaces in the city this year.

But motorists using the short-stay car parks at Bootham Row, Piccadilly and the Castle are being asked to remember that charges will increase to £2 per hour tomorrow.

The council hailed its price freezes as "great news for visitors to the city centre".

The scheme was welcomed by Adam Sinclair chairman of York Business Pride.

He said: "This sends out a clear message to potential visitors that York is very much open for business.

"The freezing of parking charges in most areas of the city represents a really good deal for motorists and is definitely a welcome decision."

Coun Ann Reid, the authority's transport chief, said: "For the first time since 1996, we have been able to freeze car park charges at 81 per cent of our car parks.

"We have also removed the 'length of stay' restrictions at all the standard stay car parks and people will be able to park for unlimited time, with the charges frozen until at least March 2006.

"The charges at just three short stay car parks, Castle, Piccadilly and Bootham Row will increase, but we feel that this still give people ample choice. People can choose to pay a higher amount for the convenience of inner city parking but all our car parks are within easy walking distance of all the attractions that York has to offer."

Coun Reid said the council was also looking at options to make payment easier by using mobile phones or credit and debit cards and also the possibility of "pay on exit".

"We have used the recent debate on parking to try and rationalise the whole parking system and introduce the use of new technology and feel that we have made real progress in making car parking easier to use," she said.

Frozen car parking charges remain at between £1.20 and £1.40 an hour for non-residents.

Updated: 09:53 Thursday, March 31, 2005