Parking charges could be lowered across Weston in a raft of major changes.

The move, which North Somerset Council is expected to ratify next month, comes in response to calls for a fairer approach to parking.

In what would be the first stage of changes, some tariffs in car parks and on Weston's roads will become cheaper from April.

However, fees will be introduced in Nailsea, Clevedon and Portishead.

Mark Canniford, the executive member with responsibility for parking, said: "The plan we have come up with is the first step in achieving our aim to manage parking in the best and fairest way."

Short-stay parking in Weston town centre will be reduced to 20p for 20 minutes and £1 for one hour.

The early bird discount for Carlton Street car park will be extended to run from September 1 to April 30. The rate will rise to £3 to fall in line with alternatives offered by other providers, but the evening charge will also be cut from £1.50 to £1.

Other areas which will be reduced include Melrose, Grove and Knightstone Causeway.

Cllr Canniford said: "We have come up with a solution that brings consistency to charges across our area and makes sure residents and visitors have access to parking spaces in our towns.

"We have to make sure the changes we make will not cost the council money, so we are not able to do everything we would like straightaway."

The authority would have to approve the addition of £685,000 to the council's capital programme, funded from unsupported borrowing, to fund the introduction of on-street and off-street parking controls and charges outside of Weston.

Members would also have to agree a budget transfer of £75,000 from the highways and transport capital works programme, to give a total capital scheme budget of £760,000, which could be funded largely through borrowing paid back over seven years.

The authority expects it will make an income of £610,000 in the first year of implementation.

A 50p increase to the four-hour rate for seafront parking during the winter season is also proposed.

In Kewstoke's Beach Road car park, an increase to the daily rate to £2.50 has been mooted, along with removing the 30-minute rate, which has not been as popular with users as the other tariffs.

Fees will also increase at Worle Parkway, in Diamond Batch, and it will also lose two pay machines.