A CAR park which has been a popular spot for commuters to park free of charge will soon see the introduction of tariffs for the first time.

Truro City Council has this week installed a pay and display machine at Boscawen Park on the outskirts of the city centre.

The car parking order and associated charges – which were introduced following public consultation – will come into effect when signage is installed, which is expected to be in early September.

There will eventually be another pay and display machine at the cricket club end of the park when the future Boscawen Sports Hub is completed.

Once parking tariffs begin at the park’s main car park next month, the first four hours at the riverside spot will be free, followed by a charge of £4.20 for four to five hours, £6.20 for five to six hours, £8.50 for six to seven hours and £10.50 for up to 24 hours.

The council also intends to repaint some of the lines to create more disabled parking and no-parking areas on the slip into the river.

The parking order also covers no overnight parking where the new Sports Hub car park will be. Work started on the £5.2-million Sports Hub project earlier this month, and once it is complete, a ticket machine will be installed and the order revised to apply the same parking charges that apply to the main car park.

As part of the new parking order, Victoria Gardens car park on the opposite side of the city will have no charge to park, from dawn to dusk, with two hours no return. Campers and motorhomes are prohibited from parking. The Hendra and Library car parks will be for permit holders only.