WORK to increase the number of car parking spaces at Basingstoke railway station is set to begin next week.

Construction starts on Monday to create an extra 300 spaces by building two new decks on top of the existing main car park.

But the project means that commuters may face added time on their journey because 280 spaces in the North Yard will be unavailable while work is underway.

Drivers will instead have to park at Basingstoke Leisure Park and use a shuttle bus service costing £2.30 to get to the station.

The Bunnian Place car park will not be affected by the works and will be dedicated exclusively for season ticket holders from Monday to Friday.

Premium daily parking will also remain accessible and will be charged at a standard parking rate.

The new car park, which will include more security with an increased number of CCTV cameras, a new help point, segregated walkways and new lighting, is set to be complete by the autumn of this year.

The project is part of South West Trains' multi-million pound investment to create 1,400 extra car parking spaces across the network.

Arthur Pretorius, customer service director for South West Trains, said: "We're making huge investment in our car parks over the next year that will deliver major benefits for our customers.

"With over 5.5million passengers now using Basingstoke station every year, it's vital that there is enough space for people to park. Improving the car parking capacity at this station has been a key priority for us and it is great news that Basingstoke station will soon benefit from our multi-million pound car park investment programme."