Council to Introduce Free After Three Parking

1.49.39pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 3rd May 2009

Rochdale Borough Council is set to introduce free parking after 3pm on all pay and display car parks across the borough in a bid boost the local economy.

In January, Council officers had proposed an increase in the charges but elected councillors opted not to up the prices and made assurances that Rochdale's parking prices were cheaper than those in Oldham and Bury.

The decision which was announced at the recent Full Council Meeting will be finalised over the next three weeks. Prospective MP for our area Councillor Wera Hobhouse, and other Heywood and Middleton Councillors welcomed the scheme.

Rochdale's Cabinet Member for Finance Councillor Greg Couzens said:

"Due to the severity of the economic downturn we felt that further action was needed to support our local businesses within our town centre. This is why we are delighted that we have come up with a scheme that will see free parking for all residents after 3pm from Monday to Friday."

"For the last two years we have frozen the increase in car parking charges across the borough. It is now cheaper than our neighbours in Oldham and Bury to visit our town centre and to shop at some of our fantastic stores."

Heywood North Councillor Peter Rush added:

"I am delighted that this proposal has been put forward by my colleagues and this is something I have been calling over the last few months. This scheme will hopefully not only bring more people to Heywood and our other town centres but will also encourage more people to shop locally."