Date set for return of two hours of free parking in Wakefield
Senior councillors last month agreed to scrap the charges at all off-street car parks
Wakefield Council has announced the date for the re-introduction of two hours’ free parking at local authority-run car parks.
Senior councillors last month agreed to scrap the charges at all its off-street car parks in Wakefield city centre, Castleford, Pontefract, Ossett, Normanton and South Elmsall in a bid to boost local businesses and encourage footfall.
The council is required to start a legal process to vary parking charges, as required by the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984, before they can be introduced.
The changes are due to come into force on November 17, according to notices.
Previously, two hours of free parking had been put in place at off-street car parks across Wakefield at the start of the Covid pandemic in April 2020.
But charging was reintroduced in April 2023 to tackle a £24m budget shortfall because free parking was costing £1.8m a year in revenue.
Matthew Morley, the council’s portfolio holder for planning and highways, told a cabinet meeting in September: “Since it was announced just over a week ago it has gone down really well in the district.
“It’s what people want. Residents want free car parking, visitors want free car parking.
“We know the state that our high streets are in at the moment.
“It went down so well last time. I’m really pleased we are introducing it. It’s massively needed.”
Council leader Denise Jeffery previously said: “We know residents want to see our city and town centres thriving, and we want more people to spend more of their money with our amazing local businesses.”
Jack Hemingway, deputy leader of the council and portfolio holder for regeneration and economic growth, also said: “One of the main things that businesses raise with me whenever I speak to them or their representatives is about parking.
“It’s the number one issue in many respects. We know we have out of town shopping available in lots of places and online shopping is very convenient.
“This will enable our small businesses on the high street, your local independents, to compete and for people to be able to shop local and stay in Wakefield and our towns.”
Charges for people staying for longer than two hours will continue to apply.
People using country parks at Newmillerdam, Anglers and Pugneys will still be expected to pay for two-hour parking following the changes.
In July this year, the council announced it had dropped plans to introduce Sunday parking charges.