BOSSES at The Broadway shopping centre have revealed they have slashed car parking fees by up to 70 per cent to bring them in line with changes at some other car parks in the city centre.

The new charges continue the £2 charge for one hour, but parking for two hours or more will now cost £3 - 70 per cent less than it would have previously cost to park for more than five hours.

When the centre opened last November, parking for one hour cost £2, with shoppers charged an extra pound per hour up to five hours, and £10 to park for five hours or more.

The parking charge at weekends has been set at a daily flat rate of £1.50.

A spokesman for The Broadway, said: "We do understand that other car parks in Bradford City Centre have changed their tariffs recently, and that's why we've decided to adjust our parking prices to bring them in-line with other car parks in the centre.

"We're always working hard to bring more people into the city centre, and we're confident this move will provide a further boost to Bradford.

"Since opening in November The Broadway has performed very strongly, with more than 100,000 visitors on Black Friday and bumper sales during Boxing Day and into 2016."

Val Summerscales, secretary of the Bradford Chamber of Trade, said the car parking fees at The Broadway had been too expensive.

She said: "Even before Broadway opened, I spoke to them and said they had to be very careful how they priced their car park, and that they were testing the water with their prices; people in Bradford have traditionally expected low prices, and probably found that it had been a deterrent.

"I am very pleased for those in the centre and the rest of the city centre that the parking charges have been reduced, it is a good business decision, and hopefully it will ensure that visitors will keep coming to Broadway and into the city centre."

The news of the parking charge cuts was also welcomed by shoppers in Bradford.

Martin Brook, of Great Horton, said: "When I first went to The Broadway it was quite dear, which didn't really give you a lot of time to shop.

"People were going to other car parks and walking in, I think it will do better charging people less to go in, and it will get more people into Bradford to do their shopping."

Another shopper, who did not want to be named, said: "Now we won't be worrying about getting back to the car and rushing around while we shop.

"It will probably make me more likely to come and park in the city centre and shop."