Motorists using four ‘free’ Lakes car parks are to be charged in future, with money raised being used to help pay for preserving the national park landscape.

A meeting of the Lake District National Park Authority in Kendal heard the pilot scheme – affecting car parks at Windermere, Thirlmere and Ravenglass – would bring in money to help combat a major shortfall in the annual budget.

A report from car parks operations manager David Coxen said the authority had a duty to monitor and review all of its car parking charges and to assess the potential for extra income, particularly in view of Government cutbacks.

Currently the LDNPA operatea 16 pay-and-display car parks, which generate £1.2million.

Members were told four specific free car parks had been identified for review:

* High Dam at Finsthwaite – a small car park with space for 28 cars;

* Station Coppice – small lay-by area off the A591 overlooking Thirlmere

* Hammarbank – a lay-by area off the A592 with views over Windermere.

* Ravenglass – a large car park with space for 92 cars and 12 coaches.

The report said consultations had already taken place with local people and had ‘attracted significant opposition’, even though the proposed charges were below existing LDNPA car park charges.

A two-hour stay would now be charged at £1.80 compared with £3.20 for the National Trust.

And a four-hour charge would be £2.80 against £5.30 for South Lakeland District Council.

Initial estimates showed that introducing charges would bring in an extra £26,000 per annum.

One concession was that at Station Coppice and Hammarbank no charges would be made for the first hour.

“We understand that these new charges will not be popular, but we do have a duty to manage our property in a way that brings the best return,” said Mr Coxen.