Commuters’ cars could be back on the streets if passenger transport bosses accept recommendations to bring in parking charges at Wharfedale rail stations.

A report to a rail travel working group has urged West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, Metro, to reconsider its free parking policy for rail passengers at station car parks.

Metro’s chairman, Wharfedale ward councillor Chris Greaves, says the decision has not been taken, but a local passenger group fears the move could push more cars from the already busy car parks on to surrounding streets.

The move would affect stations at Guiseley, Menston, Burley-in-Wharfedale, as well as Horsforth on the Harrogate Line. The car parks have more than 300 spaces between them.

The parking charges proposals have been outlined in a report to Metro’s Rail Working Group.

The aim of the proposed charges is to generate income which would fund the future expansion of overcrowded station car parks across the country.

Many station parks on the popular commuter lines to Leeds and Bradford are full by as early as 7.30am on weekdays, the result of peak-time passenger numbers increasing by more than a third in the last seven years.

The operator of Wharfedale Line train services, Northern Rail, was said to have expressed concerns about the impact of additional parking on train services that are already overcrowded.

Wharfedale Rail Users’ Group (Wrug) has been campaigning for more trains and extra carriages to cope with the steadily growing number of commuters.

Wrug chairman Peter Wilkinson said the proposal would not go down well with passengers or residents who live near stations.

He said: “If they bring in charges, people will park on the streets – it’s as simple as that. The trouble with car parks on the Wharfedale line is that they just aren’t big enough.

“The other problem is that people move down the line from Guiseley and drive to Menston to park because it has a bigger car park.

“The whole thing hinges on how they are going to solve the overcrowding.”

Metro’s director of development, David Hoggarth, said the authority would have to work with Bradford Council if parking charges are brought in, to address concerns about over-spill parking on the streets near to stations.

Coun Greaves said regional and national funding was needed to find more land for car parking sites, but said Metro is still studying the proposals for parking charges.

He said: “It’s early days in this review of parking and no decisions have been made yet.

“The last thing we want is empty station car parks in places like Menston because of the charges and all the surrounding streets choked up and blocked off with cars.”