Parking discount but not free in winter

Residents to get 20% off in bid to boost town-centre trade

Scarborough residents will be given a discount in council-owned car parks to encourage using the town centre, but the free parking in winter will end.

People living in the borough of Scarborough will be given a discount in council-owned car parks in a bid to encourage residents to make better use of town centres. Scarborough Council’s cabinet on Tuesday agreed on the move, which will see a “virtual permit” created to give residents a 20% saving on parking charges.

The cost of parking for nonresidents will be increased to offset the cost of the scheme and the borough’s free winter parking initiative will be scrapped also.

The virtual permit replaces a planned physical permit that would have cost residents an annual fee of £10.

However, groups including Scarborough Hospitality Association and the South Bay Traders Association spoke out against the plan to charge £1 for 24 hours parking between November and the end of February.

Members of the authority’s cabinet welcomed the introduction of the new permit.

Cllr Helen Mallory (Con), said the people in her ward of Seamer had told her “it will encourage them to come into the town centre now they can park at a discounted rate.”

Her fellow cabinet member Cllr John Nock (Con) added: “Cabinet did want to make sure it made the scheme far more attractive to residents and it has done that. We now have a scheme that we can be proud of and that we are not charging residents for the permit at all.”

With regards to the winter fee, he told the meeting that nearby Bridlington charges £2.90 a day, compared to the proposed £1 in Scarborough.

During the consultation process, the South Bay Traders Association said the winter charge would cause “untold damage” to the borough’s reputation. Independent councillor Janet Jefferson, who previously called the winter parking charge “ludicrous”, spoke at the meeting to ask the councillors to reconsider.

Cllr Bill Chatt (independent), however, said the parking scheme would benefit people who lived in the villages.

The scheme will come into force in January.