Close to £300,000 of car park improvements could be made following an increase in charges.

On September 6 Epping Forest District Council's cabinet agreed to bump up long-term stay charges in some of its 20 car parks, leading to an estimated income boost of £300,000 a year.

Now the cabinet is looking at ways to invest £283,000 of that money back into the district's car parking infrastructure.

On average, £5,000 will be spent on improving each car park with large pot planters, refuse bins and new fencing, costing £2,000, £1,500 and £3,000 respectively.

In a bid to encourage green vehicle use, electric car chargers might be installed in ten car parks.

The report, to be examined by councillors at a meeting on Thursday, reads: "The estimated average cost of installation of a single machine is £6,000 without the associated ancillary works to enable power connections.

"If no central government funding is obtained then the council could seek to install electric charging points in busier car parks and seek to recover the ongoing operational costs and initial capital investment. "While all options are being explored it is recommended to agree a bid of £60,000 for installation electric charging points subject to the outcome of the ongoing feasibility study."

In addition, three car parks are in need of a complete upgrade of dated CCTV and one, recently converted to pay and display, needs it freshly installed.

The estimated cost for all four is £23,000.

As well as an extra £186,000 to put LED lighting in the 16 car parks that currently do not have it, £40,000 might be spent funding consultants to examine how the district's car parks could be safer.

Last year the council made £1,347,000 from its car parks: £918,000 by cash in pay and display machines, £300,000 paid by phone, £25,000 by chip and pin and £104,000 by purchase of season tickets

and resident permits.