There is a general understanding that car parking charges provide for effective demand management of private car use in city and town centres, and that free car parking may create congestion of the spaces closest to the centre of town. However, the delicate economic emergency period as a result of Covid 19 is being balanced with the need to temporarily relax the need to manage demand of car journeys

The extended period of free car parking will enable the council to monitor and review the use of the car parks, and prepare a key decision for consideration by the Cabinet Member regarding the need to continue to manage demand, consider any further temporary concession and the financial and service implications. This will include a plan to recover income lost as part of this decision through implementation of revised car parking charges structure

It should be noted that income from parking is ring fenced to services, as outlined below under legal implications, and any continued budgetary shortfall would impact on the funding available to deliver such services unless alternative sources of funding are identified

All other parking restrictions, including resident permits areas, will remain in place throughout this period

If through monitoring it is identified that the free parking arrangements outlined in this decision adversely affect space turnover in desired locations, dwell time or any other associated parking/traffic management issue a further decision may be taken to re-implement charges earlier than 25 July 2020