SELFISH railway commuters who flout car parking conditions at Stourbridge Junction will be in a for a shock from Monday (September 29).

Culprits will find themselves slapped with a possible £100 penalty charge after the region's public transport co-ordinator Centro vowed to get tough with offenders.

Warning notices have already been erected at the Junction and leaflets distributed to all 59 of the region's free to use park and ride sites warning of the clampdown.

Anyone who offends from Monday will receive a £100 penalty charge, which will be reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.

However, further charges will be incurred if the fine isn't paid within 28 days.

Centro spokesman Mark Langford insisted the fines hadn't been introduced as a money-making scheme and confirmed the company had been forced to act following a barrage of complaints.

Cllr Roger Horton, Centro's lead member for rail and Metro, insisted innocent motorists had been suffering at the hands of others who had shown no consideration and were prepared to put other pedestrians at risk.

He revealed: "We've seen motorists blocked in for hours at a time, while pedestrians have been endangered due to cars being parked on pavements.

"There have also been situations where emergency vehicles requiring access to the station have been obstructed by badly parked cars. This cannot be allowed to continue.

"Park and Ride has been a real success story throughout the West Midlands and we want that to continue. A selfish and thoughtless minority cannot be allowed to undermine it."

Parking officers will now be operating at Stourbridge Junction seeking out cars parked incorrectly within marked bays, on double yellow lines or causing an obstruction and creating a hazard.

Centro are also targetting motorists who deliberately park in disabled bays without displaying valid blue badge permits.

And they will also be seeking out motorists who use the car park for other purposes.

Park and Ride has proved so popular that Stourbridge Junction is often full before 8am on a working day.

That has led to motorists parking on grass verges, pavements, double yellow lines and in the disabled bays, simply because there are no spaces available.

Mr Langford revealed: " On one occasion, 170 cars were blocked in for three hours at neighbouring Cradley Heath because a line of vehicles were parked outside the marked bays.

"Only this month, a coach brought in as a rail replacement for a broken down train couldn't manoeuvre properly because of incorrectly parked cars at the Junction."

Centro insist all the money raised from parking tickets will go towards the costs of running the enforcement scheme.

At present there are 811 car parking spaces at the Junction but that is set to increase by another 200 this autumn as the overflow car park in Rufford Road is due to be extended.

The work has already been put out to tender and work is expected to start within the next two months.