Take your time after car park fees eased
THE new parking charges have now come into effect in Ormskirk.
The cost of parking on a borough council-operated town centre car park is now £1 for up to three hours, with rising prices for longer stays.
Visitors will now have time to visit shops, browse Ormskirk Market stalls on Thursdays and Saturdays, take in the latest Chapel Gallery Exhibition, and have a drink or bite to eat during the now minimum three-hour period.
The authority has changed its parking charges as part of its Ormskirk Town Centre Strategy.
This aims to improve the vitality and viability of the town centre as a destination to visit, shop and socialise for the benefit of residents and visitors.
The move reflects ongoing discussions with local businesses which felt that the previous pricing structure did not encourage people to stay for extended periods.
They suggested the town’s vitality would be helped by low-cost parking for up to a three hour period.
Cllr John Hodson, whose cabinet responsibilities include parking, said: “The council has listened to the concerns of town centre businesses and Ormskirk’s parking charges now compare very favourably with nearby towns and cities.
“These measures take away the concerns of visitors thinking they have to rush back to their cars to avoid getting a parking ticket.
“So, come to Ormskirk and see all the fine attractions that the town has to offer including shops and restaurants, with several new ones opening recently, and the regular Ormskirk Market every Thursday and Saturday.”
Blue badge holders will still be able to park for up to three hours free in any Ormskirk town centre council car park and all council car parks are free on a Sunday.
The new charging structure will be monitored by council officers over a 12-month period to assess the outcomes.
The new charges for short-stay car parks (Ormskirk Bus Station, Market Way, Lunesdale (Moorgate), Wheatsheaf and Park Road, located at the rear of Pound Stretcher, are as follows (Mon-Sat): Up to 3 hours: £1; Up to 4 hours: £2. Charges for long-stay parking at The Stiles (Derby Street West), Park Pool, and Hutton Way) are: Up to 3 hours, £1. Up to 4 hours, £2. Up to 9 hours, £3. The new charges for the Hants Lane Car Park are: Up to 3 hours, £1. Up to 9 hours, £2. Find out more about events and other attractions Ormskirk and the surrounding area has to offer at www.Discover Ormskirk.com.
For more on parking in Ormskirk, visit www. westancs.gov.uk/parking