Parking after 1pm to remain free in parts of Redcar town centre - for now

Free street parking after 1pm is set to stay in parts of Redcar town centre for at least another month.

The current parking charges, introduced before Christmas in a bid to boost festive trade, sees free parking after 1pm throughout the town. And now, at least until after the Full Council meeting on February 12, four areas of Redcar will continue to have free afternoon street parking - High Street, Queen Street, Cleveland Street and Station Road.

The measure is part of a borough-wide review into parking arrangements.

Two main options for the future are suggested: maintain current rates and don’t implement any changes, or introduce an hour’s free parking in and around the town centre. That option, which is suggested for an initial one year trial, would be targeted at the four on-street parking areas. Parking charges would stay the same in council-owned car parks.

The option also includes drawing up plans for real time information displays on the number of parking spaces available, as well as the introduction of new payment methods.

The plans will be initially discussed by the council’s Cabinet on Tuesday, January 20 before being debated further by the borough’s 59 councillors on Thursday, February 12.

Councillor Steven Goldswain, Cabinet member for community safety, said: “We believe that extending the period of free parking within Redcar is the fair thing to do for visitors to the town while we look at plans for changes to charges in the coming weeks.

“Secondly, with the results of the parking review providing two clear options for a path forward, we need to work together as a council to ensure we make the right choice for the residents, visitors and businesses of Redcar.”

In November, Redcar Business Association handed in a 10,000 name petition, compiled by butcher John Gibbon, calling on the council to “address the issue of parking charges in Redcar to avoid further closure of shops in our town.”

Chair Pat Denney said of the latest development: “This is a step in the right direction and we await the outcome of the full council meeting in February.

“We cannot stress strongly enough how vitally important the parking offer is to Redcar and its business & customers.”