Car parking charges in Bicester and Banbury are set to go up for the second time in less than a year.

Parking in the two towns will cost up to 20p more an hour and parking fines will increase by £10.

Cherwell District Council only introduced increases of up to 25 per cent in April.

The council's executive has approved the new increased charges, which are due to come into force on January 6.

Norman Bolster, executive member for the environment, said: "We need the money to balance the books. We are trying to keep any increase in next year's council tax as low as possible."

The changes in Bicester are:

Market Square -- £1 an hour from 80p

Short-stay car parks in Crown Walk and the car park at Bure Place (behind Tesco) -- up to 50p an hour from 40p, and up from 80p for two hours to £1.

Long-stay car parks in Franklin's Yard and Chapel Street -- up to 50p an hour and 80p for two hours, for three hours up from £1.20 to £1.40, for four hours it will be £1.80 from £1.60, and for over four hours up to £2.20 from £2.00.

The excess charge for over-staying a ticket is going up to £35.

In Banbury, which has separate tariffs, prices are also set to rise.

Car parking for one hour goes up to 60p from 50p, for two hours £1 to £1.60, three hours up to £1.60 from £1.50, four hours £2 from £1.80, and over four hours up to £2.20 from £2.40.

Town and county councillor Les Sibley said the increases could force people to shop elsewhere.