Free parking introduced to boost town centres and local businesses

Nation.Cymru staff

Motorists will be given an hour of free parking at dozens of council-owned car parks under a new strategy aimed at supporting town centres and local businesses.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet agreed on Monday, September 7, to introduce the free period at all 67 of its car parks across the county.

After the first free hour, drivers using town centre car parks in Carmarthen and Llanelli will pay £2 for two hours, £3 for three hours or £4 for all-day parking.

In Ammanford and the county’s rural towns, parking will cost £2 for up to three hours after the initial free period, or £2.50 for the whole day.

The charges will be frozen for three years.

Discounted tickets will also be available for people parking for two days or longer, although free parking days currently provided for town councils will be scrapped.

The changes follow a review of the council’s off-street parking provision, including usage, occupancy levels, finances, free parking arrangements and enforcement.

The council said the review identified significant demand for short-stay parking and argued that providing a free first hour could make it easier for people to use shops and essential services while encouraging more frequent visits to town centres.

Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services Cllr Edward Thomas said: “The revised off street parking strategy will provide a simple, fair and accessible system for parking across Carmarthenshire, which includes an hour of free parking per visit.

“By providing an hour of free parking, we are making it easier for residents and visitors to access our town centres and rural communities, whether they are shopping locally, visiting businesses, attending appointments, accessing public services or supporting local attractions.

“This approach recognises the important role that our town centres play in the local economy and will help encourage increased footfall, support local businesses and create vibrant, accessible places for people to live, work and visit.

“Alongside the County Council’s ongoing investment in active travel and sustainable transport links, these changes will provide people with greater choice in how they access services, employment, retail and leisure destinations across the county.”

The council said the new arrangements were developed to align with Welsh transport policy as well as the South West Wales Regional Transport Plan and its own Local Development Plan and corporate strategy.

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