PARKING charges at Oxford Brookes University could rise by up to 400 per cent under new plans to cut car use and give staff “a fairer deal”.

The university is considering introducing a £2 daily rate for staff and students to use the 350 spaces at its Headington Hill campus.

Staff members currently have to pay for an annual parking permit, ranging from £90 to £540 per year depending on their salary.

Under the new regime drivers who park every day could be faced with an annual bill of up to £1,200. Those who only drive occasionally will see their outlay drop.

The top figure is calculated on the basis of them parking for 220 days a year, the length of the academic year.

Students, who currently pay an £80 annual charge, could also face bills of up to £450 a year under the new scheme, depending on how often they park.

University spokesman Edward Reed said: “At Oxford Brookes we strongly encourage staff and students to use forms of transport other than the car, such as buses and bikes, and we have a large number of measures in place to achieve this.

“For example, we run the BrookesBus service, and all first-year students and those living in halls are given a free bus pass.

“At the moment staff who only drive to campus occasionally – perhaps as little as once or twice a month – pay the same as those who drive in every day. The new car parking policy is designed to allow these staff to apply for an occasional permit.

“In future, staff will only have to pay to park on those days they use their car.”

Residents in Marston say the new scheme, if adopted, could add to parking problems in the area, claiming students and staff already park in their streets.

Lewell Avenue resident Malcolm Kitching, 72, said: “It’s taken me completely by surprise, if I’m honest. It’s going to mean more of them parking around here. “They will be parking on our drives instead of just in front of them. It’s mad. “They get £9,000 a year out of these students. Why can’t they just let them park for free?”

The scheme, which has yet to be agreed by university bosses, could come in as early as 2014. Although the cost of permits for lower-earning Brookes staff would come down, and total charges would depend on how often they park, the cost will rise significantly for high-earning staff and the daily charge will mean the cost of parking on site would go up by at least 122 per cent for all employees.

The move comes after more than 600 people in Marston signed a petition earlier this month calling on the university and other organisations to deal with parking problems. Oxfordshire County Council has said it is not currently considering a controlled parking zone for the area. after residents rejected the idea of having permits to park outside their homes.