Council to allow 30 minutes' free parking in district centres

By Ian Austen

ian.austen@essnmedia.co.uk

Traders and shoppers in district centres across the borough are to get a boost from the introduction of 30 minutes' free on street parking.

The council is also planning to freeze charges for the first two hours in other parking bays and in council-run surface car parks as part of its overall aim of encouraging short-term visits to benefit businesses.

But in an attempt to dissuade commuters, in particular, from long-term parking, charges for both pay and display bays and car parks will go up by about 10 per cent for those who stay over two hours.

District and local centres which will benefit from the free 30-minute parking include South Norwood, Thornton Heath, Purley, Coulsdon, Selsdon, Beulah Hill in Upper Norwood, Cherry Orchard Road in East Croydon, Lower Addiscombe Road in Addiscombe, Brighton Road in South Croydon, and Old Lodge Lane in Purley.

Many of these centres already have bays allowing a maximum stay of one hour to help firms but the council believes traders will get even more of a boost from the free parking.

In another attempt to help town centre shoppers the council is proposing to freeze the cost of all day parking at its under-used car park in Factory Lane, Croydon, at £4.

On the downside for residents, annual parking permits will increase by £4 to £48 for one permit, from £72 to £78 for two and from £175 to £185 for three.

Business permits will also go up, from £275 to £300 a year.

Phil Thomas, the council's cabinet member for environment and highways, said: "About 80 per cent of people coming into Croydon park for less than two hours, so freezing the charges for the first two hours for the third year running is a good deal.

"We have also responded to the calls from traders in the district centres for free parking, so this is good news too for the business community."

Jim Hunter, who owns building suppliers Portwood Supplies, in Portland Road, South Norwood, is delighted with the news.

He said: "I took about half the amount this January as I did last year and other traders agree that there is nobody out there.

"Anything that can be done to bring people back has got to be a good thing."