FREE parking could be scrapped at 40 railway stations across the West Midlands in a shock move by central Government.
Commuters could be hit by hefty charges to park and ride after a review of free parking which has been ordered by Westminster transport chiefs.
Currently 35 railway and four Metro tram stations offer a total of nearly 6,000 free parking spaces, allowing more people to get out of their cars and on to public transport. Passengers only need to pay at New Street, Sutton Coldfield and Solihull stations.
Any move to charge for parking would make a mockery of plans to encourage more people to use public transport, according to pressure group Rail Future.
Spokesman Alan Bevan said: "This would be a totally regressive step."
The free parking is funded through an annual rail grant by the Department for Transport, which has now ordered local public transport quango Centro-PTA to report on the possible effects of reintroducing charges.
It is due to be completed by the end of May.
A spokeswoman for Centro-PTA said: "Our policy is to provide free parking and we will push for that to continue.
"The Department for Transport have asked for the policy to be kept under review.
"They fund the maintenance of our car parks through the rail grant but elsewhere in the country they do not provide free parking.
"This year they have agreed to keep the free parking as part of the rail grant.
"We say there is a huge benefit in keeping the parking free which would outweigh the potential returns when you factor in the cost of equipment and management."
Mr Bevan said if parking fees were introduced, it could lead to people deciding to drive into town and city centres and pay for car parking charges there, rather than use the railway.
"At a time when the Government is trying to get people out of cars and onto public transport for environmental reasons, this would make a mockery of the whole process and we would totally oppose any suggestion to introduce charging."
Centro-PTA believes that more people would cycle and walk to stations if charges were introduced.
But the public transport body believes more people would also complain about facilities because they would have greater expectations due to paying.
In addition, it fears more people would resort to parking in local streets, and others would simply use their car for the journey instead.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Transport confirmed the free parking provision was being reviewed.
She said: "Discussions on funding are on-going.
"Centro manage and operate car parks at stations in their area. It will remain for them to decide how they allocate funds, and whether they continue operating free car parks."
