Parking fees loom for West Brom fans

West Bromwich Albion fans face being charged to park on a major road near The Hawthorns under plans to introduce new road restrictions, it emerged today.

Sandwell Council has begun consultation on £861,000 plans to install a red route on roads from junctions one and two of the M5, to stop drivers stopping and parking.

The plans will include Kenrick Way, where it is estimated around 760 fans park on verges for Baggies home games.

The authority says it will create 420 match day parking bays there instead, although it has now been revealed charges could be imposed for the new bays.

Councillor Derek Rowley, the authority's cabinet member for neighbourhood services, said: "The council is keeping an open mind on adding charges for match day parking bays. Charges that could come in future. Nothing is decided. At this stage we want to see what locals say first. We want to know what people genuinely think before we do anything."