Car parking charges have been imposed on University of York staff and students.

The parking fees, details of which are as yet unclear, will be accompanied by bus subsidies and improved cycling facilities in an effort to make the university a greener place.

Residents of Heslington have introduced permit parking in an effort to stop parking on the village streets by drivers eager to avoid the charge.

Haleh Afshar, chairman of the village's parish council, said: "We are extremely concerned, but we are introducing residents' only parking which the majority of the council is very much in support of.

"There's nothing much more we can do, but we are confident this will work. It has been successful in other parts of the city." Some members of university staff have contacted their union to complain about the changes.

A UNISON spokeswoman said: "There have been negotiation meetings between the union and the management, but we have not taken a poll of what people on the campus think.

"Certainly, there is a problem with parking on campus at the moment. Whether this will solve it or not I do not know. I don't know what stage the discussions are at.

"There are rumours of what the charges will be, but I have had nothing confirmed yet."

A spokeswoman for the university said she was unable to confirm what amount would be charged.

She said: "The charges are tied in with a green transport plan of the city, which will connect with the one planned for the city.

"We want to encourage staff and students to leave their cars at home, and we will be introducing a new subsidised transport service next week.

"Parking has been free for years and changing that is bound to be unpopular, but we've basically run out of space and we want to encourage people to be greener in the way they use transport.

"We recognise that it's tough, but we feel we have to do it."

adam.nichols@ycp.co.uk