Parking fees introduced at Crescent on Saturdays

FREE parking at Sainsbury’s in The Crescent is being cut to help ease congestion in and out of the car park and ensure actual mall users get spaces.

Tailbacks on Rugby Road, exacerbated by people stocking up for the festive season, meant some customers were spending up to 40 minutes or more queuing to get out over the holiday period.

Now supermarket chiefs are bringing in a trial to try and manage peak demand.

It means users will be charged £1.50 for up to three hours and £2.60 for up to four hours on Saturdays.

Parking for two hours without charge will cease. Receipts from outlets in The Crescent will qualify patrons for a certain fee-free period.

The new regime comes into force on Saturday January 14 and run as a trial until the end of March, with fees applicable 6am to 6pm.

John Davies, store manager of Sainsbury’s, said: “We’ve been thrilled at the success of The Crescent and have had great feedback from our customers. We’re keen to reduce the conges- tion in and out of the car park and on Rugby Road around the site and we think that this trial may help with that. We want to make it easy and pleasant for people to shop with us.”

The move is backed by the Tin Hat Partnership, the developer behind The Crescent.

Tony Baker, from the partnership, said: “We support this trial by Sainsbury’s as it builds on the success of The Crescent and looks to enhance the experience for all visitors to the development and the town centre as a whole.”

The changes may leave shoppers confused however as the pricing structure for the rest of the week, Sunday to Friday, remains unchanged while a new voucher system will be employed for the Saturday trial.

As already happens those spending £5 in Sainsbury’s will be entitled to three hours free parking while people with bills of £3 or more from anywhere else in The Crescent will qualify for two hours free parking.

The Sunday to Friday regime is that all users get up to two hours free parking, it’s £1.50 for up to three hours and £2.60 for up to four hours with three hours for folks spending £5 in Sainsbury’s itself.