FREE parking is set to end at Northwich station.

Signs have been erected confirming rail users will soon have to pay to park at the station, although it is still free at at this time.

Northern has told the Guardian that it is currently working on changes at Northwich station, which will see the introduction of parking charges.

From the end of September, motorists will be charged £2 per day for the use of the station car park.

Northern will create an additional 23 car parking spaces for rail users.

A spokesman for Northern said: “As part of an ongoing review of our stations and car parks we have increased the cost of parking at some locations, and have introduced new charges at others.

“The parking charges at Northwich are designed to be fair to those using the railway and to discourage those who currently park at the station but have no intention of travelling on trains.

“The revenue we generate as a result of the parking charges will be invested back into the Northern network as we continue to modernise our trains, services and stations.”

Since taking over the franchise in April 2016 Northern has committed to a multi-million pound modernisation programme that will deliver 98 new, purpose built trains, 243 refurbished trains, improvements to stations and 2,000 extra services a week – all by 2020.

The spokesman added: “We are in the very early stages of our modernisation programme, but we are already seeing refurbished trains on the network and progress in the construction of our new trains

“Our Better Stations programme is also underway and will see more than £30 million invested in station upgrades, with a further investment of more than £12 million on new and improved ticket machines across the network.

“We are investing huge sums of money in the railway across the north of England and will use the revenue from our car park charges to supplement this investment on a local level.”