FANCY a day out at the races? If you want to park during Knavesmire's top meetings this season you will be hit with a £5 charge, York Racecourse has announced.

James Brennan, the racecourse marketing manager, said the fee would be used to pay for a traffic management scheme designed to reduce congestion during meetings when large crowds are in attendance.

Mr Brennan said the charge would be imposed during the Ebor Festival and John Smith's meetings, with the racecourse using the traffic principles adopted during Royal Ascot At York last year.

That's likely to mean racecourse traffic being funnelled in and out of Knavesmire using the A64 and Tadcaster Road. The plan was judged by transport bosses as a huge success at the Royal meeting.

Mr Brennan said the racecourse believed the "fairest" thing to do was to share the costs of funding that plan with racegoers who used the car park "rather than as a general levy".

A City of York Council spokeswoman said the racecourse would be making its own traffic arrangements for the season ahead, which starts with a three-day meeting next Wednesday, and no action would be taken by the authority.

Mr Brennan said: "We continue to work with City of York Council, North Yorkshire Police and other partners to deliver a transport plan that works for the majority of residents and racegoers.

"We will be adopting the principles used for Royal Ascot at York during the Ebor Festival and the John Smith's meeting; we have 'revisited' the names of the car parks and the signage as well as wider technical issues, to try to improve further on the experience.

"As you might expect, the scale of such a plan does incur significant costs and, in line with many events, we believe the fairest thing to do is to share these costs with racegoers who use the car parks rather than as a more general levy. Consequently a £5 per car fee will be collected. We would encourage racegoers to share vehicles, stroll to the track from their local accommodation or use public transport."

A city council spokesperson said: "York Racecourse has indicated that it will be making its own traffic management arrangements for this season's race meetings and there will be no action by City of York Council.

"The only exception will be the Ebor meeting, when we will be responding to any requests from York Racecourse for help in dealing with the traffic."

Updated: 09:24 Wednesday, May 10, 2006