Car Park Fees Cut To Bring In Shoppers

2.59.27pm GMT Thu 22nd Feb 2007

The Vale's budget for 2007-8 includes major changes for the district's Car Parks, with significant reductions in charges to encourage shoppers to stay longer in town centres. The new changes will also benefit residents of the Vale's town's by allowing them to park for longer in the mornings before charges come into force.

The key changes are:

Parking in town centre car parks will be free up to 9am, allowing local residents to leave their cars there for longer. Currently they have to vacate car parks by 8am.

There will now be a flat rate for parking for 1-3 hours in Vale Car Parks to encourage visitors to stay longer in Vale town centres. The rate charged will vary between car parks:

• At car parks in Abingdon the 1-3 hour fee will be £1, down from £1.80 for 3 hours previously;

• At the Portway car park in Wantage the 1-3 hour fee will be 80p, down from £1.40;

• The fee for 1-3 hour parking in Southampton Street car park in Faringdon will be 60p.

Season ticket prices for all car parks in the Vale have been frozen.

The changes have been introduced in response to comments from residents and the Chambers of Commerce. They are intended to address the concerns of local businesses and to improve the performance primarily of local shops.

Cllr Richard Farrell said: "We're always happy to listen to good ideas and these changes are in response to suggestions from business groups and residents. The new charging regime will mean that people can shop for longer in Abingdon, Wantage and Faringdon but it still means that car parks will pay their own way, rather than having to be subsidised by those Vale residents who do not have the opportunity of using Vale car parks. It's therefore a 'win-win' situation for everyone."