Free parking is to be extended until the end of the year at the Eden Council-owned car parks in Penrith and Appleby, it was announced last night.
Mike Tonkin (Ind, Morland), Eden Council’s services portfolio holder, told a meeting of the authority’s executive that the decision to extend free parking had been made to further help local traders in Penrith and Appleby.
He said it would also allow time to further consider the key elements of future car parking charges and have an in depth look at the study of recommendations — including packages of improvement — which had come out of the Penrith parking and movement study.
At the meeting, the executive agreed to endorse “in principle” the packages of improvement, set up an implementation group, and work together with Penrith Town Council and Cumbria County Council to explore opportunities for funding to deliver them.
Mr Tonkin said the interventions were aimed at catering for “future parking demand” increases.
“The evidence does not indicate that new capacity is needed now and so the interventions are intended for the long term,” said Mr Tonkin.
He added that there was no finance currently available to develop those activities which had a cost implication for the council, but some of the recommendations could be implemented without excessive cost.
These included a review of the allocation of parking permits for season ticket holders, councillors and officers; increase the number of season tickets; consider a change to tariff to reduce the cost of all day parking arriving after 10am; consider pay by phone, rather than pay on exit; and consult with supermarkets to see if they would allow parking within their capacity
