New parking charges come into force at Chesterfield Borough Council car parks

Shoppers are now able to park at a reduced rate of £3 for three hours – equivalent to £1 an hour.

The rate is part of a move to standardise charges across different car parks with the aim of attracting drivers to stay in the town for longer to go shopping or do business.

It previously cost between £3.30 and £3.90 to park for three hours, depending on the car park used. Most car parks will also see reductions in the cost of parking for four hours with a new standard rate of £4.30 replacing charges which varied between £4.30 and £5.20.

Parking for up to two hours will remain the same in the most popular car parks – Soresby Street, Rose Hill and Holywell Cross – but increase in others to a consistent rate across the town.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, the borough council’s cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy, said: “Shoppers have told us that they want to spend longer in town at a reasonable rate and the introduction of the new £3 for three hours rate in all council-run car parks enables us to deliver that.

“In addition we offer a range of permits which enable commuters or daily shoppers to park for less. Depending on the permit chosen these can work out at an average of £2.30 for a whole day’s parking.

“In the past we had different charges for car parks depending on how far away from the town centre they were. To simplify things for customers we have now designated car parks as either short stay or long stay and standardised charges across them.

“This is on top of the residents’ free parking scheme which lets people who live in the borough of Chesterfield to park without charge before 10am or after 3pm Mondays to Saturdays and all day on Sundays and bank holidays at the car parks named on the back of their free parking permit. The permit must be displayed in the car.”

All borough council-run car parks now charge:

• 70p for up to 30 minutes

• £1.30 for up to an hour

• £2.60 for up to two hours

• £3 for up to three hours

• £4.30 for up to four hours

Above four hours it will cost a flat rate of £5 in long-stay car parks and an extra £1.30 per hour in short-stay car parks.

The following are short-stay car parks: Holywell Cross, Rose Hill, Soresby Street and St Mary’s Gate.

The following are long-stay car parks: Albion Road, Derbyshire Times, Devonshire Street, Durrant Road, Hollis Lane, New Beetwell Street multi-storey, Saltergate multi-storey, Spa Lane, Station Road, Queen’s Park Annexe, Queen’s Park North, Queen’s Park South, Theatre Lane and West Street.

The price of parking permits have also been standardised across council long-stay car parks, except for multi-storey car parks.

They are now £60 a month which works out at approximately £2.50 a day if used 25 times in a month or £600 a year which works out at approximately £2.30 a day if used on weekdays throughout the year.

Scratch card prices have also been standardised. They can be bought in blocks of five and cost a flat rate of £3.50 a day in all long-stay car parks, except for multi-storey car parks, which require a separate pass.

Anyone wanting to buy a parking permit or scratch card can ring 01246 345593 or email [email protected]

Scratch cards are also available from the Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre in Rykneld Square.

Chesterfield Borough Council is not responsible for running all car park areas in the town.