FREE PARKING IN RUN-UP TO CHRISTMAS

A new free parking voucher is being introduced for the three Saturday afternoons running up to Christmas in Birchington, Broadstairs, Margate, Northdown Road in Cliftonville and Ramsgate.

It's part of the Shop Local First scheme, developed by the council, in association with local traders, as a way of supporting local shops through the current economic problems. More than 100 businesses in the five pilot areas have already signed up to offer a range of discounts and offers when local people use their Shop Local First Incentive Card. More than 15,000 of these cards have already been handed out, since the scheme launched in early November.

Now, in a bid to further support traders, a voucher which entitles the bearer to up to two hours free parking will be offered at all on-street parking sites, which adds up to just under 700 car parking spaces, in each of the five areas after 12pm on Saturday 5, Saturday 12 and Saturday 19 December.

To take advantage of the free parking, people will need to clearly display a free parking voucher, which will be advertised in all the local newspapers in Thanet and will be available on the council's website at www.thanet.gov.uk. Vouchers can also be collected from all the businesses taking part in Shop Local First scheme.

The offer applies only to the following on-street parking areas:

Birchington
Crescent Road
Station Road
Broadstairs
Belvedere Road
Charlotte Street
Charlton Avenue
Dundonald Road
High Street
Lawn Road
Lloyd Road
Vere Road
Victoria Parade
York Street
Margate
Albert Terrace
Cecil Street
Churchfields Place
Hawley Square
High Street
Marine Drive
Mill Lane
Union Crescent
Northdown Road, Cliftonville
Northdown Road

Ramsgate
Albion Place
Broad Street
Brunswick Street
Cavendish Street
Harbour Parade
Hardres Street
King Street
Queen Street

Lucy Tuson, Communications and Marketing Officer, said: "Local traders and local people have told the council that paying for parking can sometimes put people off from visiting their local shopping areas. We've listened to that and, although we are not in a position to financially offer free parking on a permanent basis, we are able to offer this parking voucher, which local people can use on Saturday afternoons on the run up to Christmas. We hope that this will encourage more local people to do their Christmas shopping locally and see just what a great choice of shops we have across Thanet.

"It's important to remember that the parking voucher can only be used from midday and is valid for up to two hours parking only in on-street parking spaces in the five shopping areas. The voucher must also be clearly displayed, as our civil enforcement officers will still be on duty and may issue fixed penalty notices to those cars without the voucher or a valid parking ticket on display."

The Shop Local First Incentive Card is now available from the 100 plus businesses taking part and can also be picked up from libraries and Thanet's Gateway Plus in Margate.

The scheme will initially run for a year, but if it proves to be successful, it could be extended for longer and into other parts of Thanet. Businesses taking part in Shop Local First will all display a Shop Local First sticker in their window.

To find out more about the scheme, visit the Shop Local First page on the council's website at www.thanet.gov.uk or call 01843 577000. For a full list of businesses taking part in the scheme, visit www.thanet.gov.uk/shoplocal If you are a business and want to join the Shop Local scheme, call 01843 577169.