Parking charges across West Suffolk to return from Monday as non-essential shops open

Parking charges across West Suffolk will return from Monday, after having been suspended during coronavirus lockdown.

West Suffolk Council put a hold on car parking charges in March to help residents who had been urged to stay at home as well as key workers.

But tariffs will be re-introduced on Monday, as non-essential shops re-open and people return to work.

Parking charges were due to increase in April following a parking review carried out by the council, but a council spokesman said the rises 'will not be introduced at this time'.

Critical care workers may also be able to get free permits from their employers.

Physical markers will be in place at machines to help visitors maintain social distancing and customers are encouraged to pay by RingGo or contactless.

Those paying by cash are advised to use hand sanitiser or gloves.

Cllr John Griffiths, leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “We recognise that high

streets nationally and locally face new ways of working and new challenges, and we

are here to help them meet those changes as part of the town centre’s recovery.

“We will continue to work with our town centre partners to ensure they are safe

places for people to shop and for businesses and their staff to safely operate and we

will continue with the phased reopening of our markets which of course play an

important part in all of this.

"We’ve already prioritised and paid out around £34m in

Government business grants to business including retail, around another £34m in

rate relief and having lobbied Government on their behalf, we are now paying out

grants to other small businesses including our market traders.

“Alongside all of this is the re-instatement of car parking tariffs which manage spaces

and keep long stay spaces available for town centre workers and shorter stay spaces

options for visitors.

"The income from parking is all reinvested in the car parks and

associated activity such as town centre CCTV, street cleaning and enforcement, all

of which supports our town centres as places of economic, social and cultural

activity.

"We are however continuing to suspend planned tariff increases which we will keep

under review and look forward to helping shape the recovery and the future of our

high streets.”