Final day of “Free After Three” Parking in Chester

It’s the final day of “Free After 3” parking in Chester today – the hugely popular scheme has provided free parking after 3pm in many of the city’s car parks for a decade.

From tomorrow, Wednesday 11 April new charges come into force which will hit those parking the city in the afternoons and evenings

‘Changes to parking charges will help to support short stay parking in central car parks, discourage commuters from parking for extended hours in areas where demand is high and encourage longer stay parking at the city’s outer facilities.’ Cheshire West and Chester Council says.

The council also says cheap and simple flat rate evening tariffs will be available at all car parks.

• Trinity Street – reduced tariff for up to two hours’ stay
• Cuppin Street – reduced tariff for up to one hour stay
• Market – cheaper for stays up to and over six hours
• Delamere Street – cheaper for stays of up to and over six hours
• Garden Lane – cheaper for stays of up to and over six hours
• Brook Street – cheaper for stays of up to and over six hours

A flat rate of £5 all day will be introduced at Little Roodee and Watergate Street to encourage longer stay use.

Public parking charges at Christleton Road Car Park will be unchanged.

Frodsham Street and Hamilton Place Car Parks are reserved principally for disabled persons (blue badge holders) and remain unchanged.

Blue badge holders who are borough residents will also be able to continue to park without charge at pay on exit (ANPR) car parks for four hours on any day.

Chester Conservatives said the move will hit the local economy, a spokesperson said:

“This is a great blow to Chester and our local economy. The Conservatives campaigned passionately to keep Free After 3, but Labour decided their parking charges mattered more than the views of local residents or the interests of our city.” 

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Karen Shore said:

“With our action plan for Chester we are addressing the issues facing residents who live in areas where commuters regularly park, introducing the right offers in the right places to encourage visitors, improving disabled provision, and reducing congestion and air pollution.”
 
“Our Park and Ride service into the city will be free every Wednesday from 2pm, beginning on Wednesday 11 April.  

Future plans also include the introduction of an ‘app’ to allow businesses to pay for all or a proportion of a customer’s parking charge; most likely to be linked to how much they spend. This will be ready to trial from mid-April”