A ‘MAJOR financial investment’ will see new parking machines coming to Dorchester next week.

Installation of new pay and display machines in West Dorset District Council-run car parks will start in the county town on Tuesday.

Replacement machines will then be installed in Bridport, West Bay, Beaminster and Sherborne throughout the rest of the month and into January.

New machines will be installed in Lyme Regis and Charmouth when the Lyme Regis Phase Four coastal protection works have been completed.

Leader of West Dorset District Council Robert Gould said: “We are making a major financial investment to improve parking in West Dorset as we know how important it is for residents, visitors and the local economy to have well maintained car parks.

“Our first project is to replace old unreliable machines with brand new machines and these will be installed in phases across the district.

“Machines will only take coins initially but will then be upgraded to take card and contactless payments as soon as security protocols are finalised.”

Machine manufacturers Metric have vowed to keep disruption to a minimum as they carry out the installation works on behalf of the district council.

The authority is asking people using its car parks to be patient while the works take place.