Council set to gift shoppers with free parking this Christmas

NO CHARGE AFTER 2PM PLANNED

ALL council-run car parks in a Derbyshire district could have free parking after 2pm throughout December, with four towns having been given free parking throughout September.

Derbyshire Dales District Council has run a free parking scheme each Christmas for the past 13 years and is now looking to adopt the same incentive this year.

It would cover all district council-run car parks in the Dales and charges would be dropped after 2pm for the whole month of December.

This comes after the council provided free parking after 2pm for car parks in the district’s four market towns – Ashbourne, Bakewell, Matlock and Wirksworth – along with Matlock Bath, throughout September.

That scheme was an aim to boost trade in the high street after multiple lockdown periods in hopes that the economy will see a much-needed boost.

A report from the district council, to be discussed on Thursday, says: “With people moving towards on-line shopping and home delivery during the pandemic and potentially not returning to high street retailers, businesses need this additional ‘incentive’ to try to encourage people back to the high street.”

The council expects to make £2.4 million from car parking payments during the 2021 to 2022 financial year. In July, Paul Wilson, the district council’s chief executive, said free parking is not the solution to all of the problems being experienced in the area’s town centres. He also warned that long-term free parking, considering the authority’s own financial position and in need of all the income it gets, has significant risks.

It is one of very few income sources left for local councils, which it uses to prop up other essential services. Income from parking is used for maintenance of the car parks, the district’s public gardens, open spaces and play areas, along with other services.

Businesses need this additional ‘incentive’ to try to encourage people back to the high street. Report