Free parking extended to weekday evenings in bid to encourage Barnsley town centre visitors

The 18 month free parking trial will begin on September 13, in a bid to boost local businesses and encourage visitors to the town centre.

All off-street car parks will be free for three hours at weekends, and free after 5pm and until 7am every day.

Charges will apply according to new parking zones – the “shopper zone” within a three-minute walk of the centre of town, and the “commuter zone” within five-minute walk of the centre of town

Charges of £2 for up to three hours will apply during weekdays in both zones.

After three hours, a rate of 50p per 30 minutes will be charged in the shopper zone, and 30p per 30 minutes in the commuter zone.

At all times, on-street parking bays will be 90p per 30 minutes in the shopper zone, and 45p per 30 minutes in the commuter zone.

The changes include the continuation of three hours free parking at weekends in all town centre off-street town centre car parks.

While parking in the evenings will be free, restrictions will be extended so they apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week, extended from the current 8am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

Councillor Chris Lamb, cabinet spokesperson for environment and transport, said: “The Glass Works and wider investment in our town centre are at the very heart of our vision for a Growing Barnsley, and we want to make sure our parking arrangements encourage people to visit our fantastic town centre. It’s vital we have appropriate spaces for them when they do.

“The two-zone price structure will hopefully encourage those parking all day every day to park a little further out of the town centre at a reduced rate, while making sure we have space for people visiting the town.

“We’re also extending our restrictions around the clock so we can make sure we don’t have cars moving about in pedestrian areas where people have come to enjoy an evening out. We want people to come and feel safe and secure while enjoying our evening economy.

“In the coming months we’ll also be looking to bring in a variety of technologies to make it even easier for people to find a space and pay for their parking and, as well as the creation of 51 new family parking bays where it will be easier to get children in and out of car seats and prams, and an extra 147 disabled parking bays.”