WEEKEND shoppers now have the use of a new pay and display car park in the city centre – at the University Of Lincoln.

Parking meters were unveiled at the institution's Brayford campus car park over the Bank Holiday weekend.

And the 500-space car park is open to paying members of the public after 4.30pm on weekdays and at weekends.

The parking tariff ranges from £1.20 for the first hour – the same rate charged at the City Of Lincoln's car parks – to £10 for cars parked for more than five hours.

Before 4.30pm on weekdays, the car park is reserved for staff at the university, who must be holders of official parking permits, and authorised visitors.

The Echo reported in April on the university's decision to charge its staff to park with charges ranging from £2 to £12 a month, depending on their grade.

Richard Merryweather, the university's head of commercial facilities, said the charges collected will help fund the cost of running the car parks. Mr Merryweather said the charges also encourage staff to reduce their carbon footprint by using "greener" methods of transport or public transport.

He said: "The university has published a sustainable transport statement, which recognises the growth of the university and the impact we have on travel patterns in and around Lincoln.

"The introduction of car park charges is the first step in developing a full sustainable transport plan to reduce our impact on the environment and promote more sustainable alternatives to travelling by car."

Mr Merryweather said students will still be able to park for free during the evenings and at weekends if they have a valid permit.

Michael Self, regional director of the Federation Of Small Businesses, said any extra pay and display car parking is good news for the city.

"Over the years we have lost quite a bit of car parking, which tends to inhibit the shoppers," he said.

"This new pay and display car parking is open at the best time, which is the weekend, so it will be very useful.

"Generally a lack of parking is one of the biggest reasons why people stop visiting the city centre."

The owner of The Lincoln Whisky Shop in Bailgate, Norman Houghton, said it was timely for Christmas shopping that more pay and display car parking had been introduced to the city.

He said: "Once people get into the habit of knowing where they can park they will park in the same place again if they can.

"Lincoln isn't the easiest city when getting from A to B so anything that helps has to be a good thing."