Oxfordshire County Council will lose nearly £700,000 a year by offering free parking to motorists in the evenings and on Sundays, it has been revealed.

Later this year, a pilot scheme in the city will allow drivers free street parking after 6pm on Mondays to Saturdays and all day on Sundays.

If the scheme -- a pre-election pledge by county Conservatives -- becomes permanent, parking chiefs have estimated the authority will lose £580,000 in parking charges and another £100,000 in fines every year.

But the plans have been criticised because Oxford residents have not had an opportunity to have their say.

It also comes at a time when the county council has waived parking charges at the Water Eaton and Thornhill park-and-rides in an effort to encourage motorists to catch the bus into Oxford.

Last month, the city council increased parking charges at five city centre car parks and has refused to waive charges at the three park-and-ride sites it owns.

Liberal Democrat city and county councillor Jean Fooks said: "Oxford residents didn't give the Tories a mandate to do this.

"They are literally throwing money away.

"This will result in more people and more congestion and it's an absolute nonsense.

"The Tories keep telling us they want value for money and yet this is money they are throwing away.

"What we now have is conflicting policies between the city and the county councils with the county encouraging people to use park-and-rides, but wanting to offer people free parking in the city. It's quite bizarre."

Congestion charging in Oxford has been ruled out even though a large pot of Government cash is available to cities willing to take part in pilot projects.

David Robertson, county council cabinet member for transport, said: "We have always believed that Oxford is different to other cities in that it charges for evening and Sunday parking.

"We want to encourage the commercial and night-time economy in the city and give people a choice -- this will benefit restaurants and entertainment in Oxford.

"A lot of people live outside the city and want to come in.

"Many people have prejudged this when the scale and length of time has yet to be determined."

Mrs Fooks added: "Buses will be held up by the extra traffic, air pollution will get worse because of slow-moving vehicles and pedestrians and cyclists will find conditions even more unpleasant.

"At present, there is a surplus from on-street parking in Oxford which can be spent on improving park-and-rides or other traffic management measures.

"I would like to see support for a bus service to serve the Headington hospitals from Water Eaton park-and-ride and Summertown.

"At the moment, people are driving because there isn't a convenient bus service, causing congestion in Headington and holding up buses there.

"However, under Tory plans, there will be much less money potentially available in future -- and congestion will get worse."