Council approves free parking during Remembrance Sunday and the December weekends prior to Christmas for another three years

East Riding Council’s Cabinet approved the waiving of charges at public car parks at a meeting earlier this month.

Council Economy Portfolio Holder Cllr Jane Evison said the policy was part of the authority’s efforts to help local high streets and people wishing to attend Remembrance Sunday commemorations.

The Cabinet’s backing means its car parks will remain free of charge until at least 2024 at those times and on the Christmas Bank Holidays.

It comes after the policy was first introduced in 2018 for three years, meaning the waiving of fees would have lapsed without a formal extension.

Free parking on Remembrance Sunday came in for one year in 2018 for the centenary of the end of the First World War but it was also extended to 2021.

The cabinet’s backing of the move means its car parks will be free of charge from 8am on Saturdays to 8am the following Monday in the four weekends before Christmas.

This year those dates are Saturday, December 3, Sunday, December 4, Saturday, December 10, Sunday December 11, Saturday, December 17 and Sunday December 18.

They will also be free on Christmas Day and Boxing Day which fall on Saturday and Sunday respectively this year.

The extension of the Remembrance Sunday offer means car parks will be free on Sunday, November 13 2022, Sunday, November 12 2023 and Sunday, Sunday 10 2024.

Council estimates put the income lost due to lifting charges at £75,000 for the four December weekends and £7,000 on Remembrance Sunday.

But a report to the cabinet stated it helped to support high streets in the lead up to Christmas and on Small Business Saturday, on December 3 this year.

The report stated: “The Christmas period is a key trading time for high streets.

“In the prevailing economic climate, it is important that the council continues to support local businesses, independent retailers and communities.

“Challenging trading conditions and the move to more online shopping are affecting the high street retailers.

“This aims to encourage people to shop locally and to attract additional trade into town centres in the East Riding in the run up to Christmas.”

Cllr Evison said making the offer for three years would give high street businesses confidence and certainty that the policy would remain in place at least until 2024.

The portfolio holder said: “Free parking on Remembrance Sunday was in place generally anyway, except at Morton Lane car park in Bridlington and that was becoming an issue.

“We took that into consideration when we looked at extending free parking for the next three years.”