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.”