Shoppers in Chester and Ellesmere Port have more time to take advantage of the ‘Free after 3’ parking offer which looks set to be axed in the spring.

The popular discount, which allows free parking after 3pm at certain car parks, was due to end in January but its life has been extended slightly.

When ‘Free after 3’ parking ends, the council will trial Free after 2pm for park and ride users on Wednesdays and a ‘Spend and Save’ initiative – with retailers partly refunding parking charges if customers spend over a specified amount.

Cllr Karen Shore (Lab). Credit CWAC.

Councillor Karen Shore, cabinet member environment said: ”The Free after 3 parking offer won’t be replaced for at least two months. Following publication of the action plan, we are now preparing Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) and variations to existing orders for the changes. This is a legislative requirement which we are obliged to undertake.

“The process takes some time; details of the timetable will be shared nearer the time.

“The new parking initiatives we are planning to introduce first include a ‘Spend and Save’ App and a new park and ride ‘Free after 2pm’ offer, initially on Wednesdays.”

Labour -led Cheshire West and Chester Council has come under fire for axing Free after 3 from both the Tory opposition and business leaders.

Cllr Lynn Riley

Conservative group leader Cllr Lynn Riley ( Frodsham ) said: “We understand that the council has to make money, but this move hasn’t been thought through properly.

“Cheshire West and Chester Conservatives ran a well-supported campaign to save what was free parking after 3pm. The majority of residents, visitors and businesses backed us, but it seems the council are not listening.”

Carl Critchlow, manager of the CH1 Chester Business Improvement District (BID), says the council is also ignoring struggling retailers.

He said: “We feel that the economic impact on our businesses as a result of changes to parking in the city has been ignored by the council. CH1ChesterBID has offered to jointly fund an economic impact study with the council on the issue but this offer has been ignored.”

BID manager at CH1ChesterBID Carl Critchlow

The council believes making more efficient use of its parking spaces will contribute towards the economy as well as generating extra revenue which will be used to upgrade the borough’s aging car parks.

Changes to parking charges aim to encourage short stay parking in central city centre car parks and longer stay parking for commuters at the city’s outer facilities. There will be a range of ‘more flexible offers’ to encourage shoppers to spend more time in the city, with trade spread throughout the day and less pressure on the evening peak hour.