Free parking for Christmas

CHRISTMAS shoppers can enjoy free parking in Aberdare and Pontypridd this month.

From 10am each day, parking charges in Rhondda Cynon Taf Council-owned car parks in the two towns.

It will run from Thursday, December 1 to Saturday, December 31, inclusive.

Town centre visitors are reminded that if you park before 10am each day, you must display a ticket up until that time.

In Aberdare, the free parking applies to car parks at Crown Buildings, Green Street, Library, Duke Street, High Street, Nant Row, Rock Grounds and the Ynys, and in Pontypridd, Gas Road, Goods Yard (council-owned section only), Millfield, Berw Road and Sardis Road car parks.

Library, Green Street, Duke Street and High Street car parks in Aberdare, and Gas Road car park in Pontypridd, are all short-stay – for a maximum of four hours.

Council leader Andrew Morgan said: “Parking will again be free across all of our car parks this December from 10am each day, supporting our town centre businesses and the Shop Local initiative for a ninth year.

“This festive period is also the first since 2019 with no formal Covid restrictions - presenting an excellent opportunity to give something back to local traders, reflecting on the efforts they made throughout the pandemic.

“We know that the cost-of-living crisis is affecting residents right across Rhondda Cynon Taf at this time, and hope that the offer of free local parking, combined with the shorter journeys in comparison with travelling outside of the county borough, will help in some small way towards the current challenges.”