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Free parking in the Vale to change from 4 April

Motorists in the Vale of White Horse are being reminded that changes to free parking and parking fees will start next week.

From Monday 4 April, people parking in district council car parks in Abingdon, Faringdon and Wantage are advised that:

  • Free parking will still be available but reduced to one hour a day*
  • New fees will apply if you want to stay for more than one hour
  • Other fees will go up by 40p
  • New and renewed permits will be valid for the specific car park they are issued for and will not be transferable
  • Where currently on offer, free parking will continue to be available on Sundays.

*except for Southampton Street car park in Faringdon, which will continue to offer two hours free parking a day.

Council taxpayers in the Vale have been subsidising district council car parks for many years, with the service typically running at a loss of over £250,000 a year.  The shortfall has now risen to almost £450,000 following the Covid-19 pandemic.  The council’s aim is for car park users to cover the costs of its car parks, rather than the general council tax-payer.

Vale of White Horse District Council is introducing the changes to reduce the deficit, while balancing its commitment to tackling the climate emergency and the needs of local businesses.

Cllr Andrew Crawford, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Assets at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “If you are parking in the Vale, please remember that on 4 April the free period in most of our car parks will now be for one hour each day and that fees are also changing.”

“Council taxpayers in the Vale have been subsidising our car parks for many years.  There will still be a significant deficit and we will need to continue covering the costs of parking for the foreseeable future, however the changes we’re introducing will help to make this service more financially sustainable going forwards, while continuing to offer free parking across the district each day to help support local traders.”

For more information about the parking changes please visit whitehorsedc.gov.uk/parkingchanges

Notes for editors:

*Faringdon’s main supermarket is out of town so we hope that by offering two hours free in this town centre car park we will continue to encourage people to support local trade.