Free offer boosts use of town car park

A FREE parking offer has seen the number of people using a town centre car park double in six months.

Bridgend council has confirmed that the number of people using the Rhiw Car Park has soared from 2,000 per week at the start of the scheme last August to 4,000 per week.

Shoppers and visitors only have to pay parking charges if they stay for more than two hours.

Beth Daniel, chairwoman of the Bridgend Traders’ Forum, said the £131,000 Welsh Government-funded scheme has had “a massive, positive impact on the town”.

“It definitely has made a big difference”, she said. “There’s lots of positive feedback coming from traders and shoppers alike.

“I have a business in the town centre and the majority of our clients use that facility now. There’s plenty of time to come in and do a bit of shopping.”

She added that disabled clients were also particularly impressed with the dedicated disabled spaces in the Rhiw.

The free parking offer began last August and is set to run until the end of this financial year on March 31.

The cash to run it came from Welsh Government after it set aside £3m to support free parking pilot schemes in local authority areas.

When it started Bridgend council cabinet member Charles Smith said as car parking revenue goes towards the maintenance and provision of facilities, the council could not have afforded to provide the offer without the additional Welsh Government funding.

In its latest newsletter, the CF31 BID company, which runs the town’s business improvement district, said it will now approach the Welsh Government for future funding and perhaps look at alternative measures to deliver the scheme after March 31 through a partnership approach.

Beth added: “It’s something we would definitely like to see carry on.”