Drivers of gas-guzzling cars could be forced to fork out more for parking permits, as costs set to rise in one Black Country borough.

Residents-only parking permits used in congested streets near town centres, hospitals and football clubs are £20 each with an extra £20 payable per household for a visitor’s permit.

But Walsall Council could now increase the cost with a new pricing structure depending on the car applicants drive.

The rise in prices would help cover the cost of enforcing the scheme, council highways bosses told a meeting of the environment scrutiny panel last night.

And it is thought by introducing higher charges for those driving vehicles like 4x4s it could help the council drive down pollution and avoid potential future higher taxes on carbon emissions.

There are five existing residents’ parking schemes in Walsall in streets near Walsall Manor Hospital and Banks’s Stadium, the home of Walsall Football Club.

But around 100 requests per year are made to Walsall Council to introduce new schemes in other congested streets council officers revealed last night.

Now the authority is looking to update its policy and members of the environment scrutiny panel were last night asked for their views before a report is put to full council.

Paul Leighton, group leader for traffic and transportation services at Walsall Council, said: “Twenty pounds roughly pays for about two hours’ enforcement so there is the question over whether the cost should increase.

“If we go down the road of permits costing more depending on the emissions of the vehicle it could give us scope to address the council’s carbon emissions targets.

“We are not looking for the full recovery of the cost from the resident, it is not their fault they live next door to a football club or a busy hospital, but there is a benefit to residents in having a restricted zone and there is a question whether that should be reflected in the cost.”

Currently households can only have two permits each — one for the resident and one for a visitor — both costing £20, a combined yearly bill of £40.

However council officers are also investigating the possibility of allowing a  variable number of permits per household on a street-by-street basis and making allowances for carers.

The cost of a parking scheme is around £5-10,000 per zone and a criteria has to be met for streets to qualify with points for whether streets are on a main bus route, how many households there are and whether they are near to schools or other busy sites.

The panel agreed for council officers to return with a more detailed set of proposals.