Date: 23/10/2007
Friday 26 October sees the start of two hours free parking for shoppers in Glossop town centre in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
The decision made by High Peak Borough Council was in direct response to representations from the town's shopkeepers about the impact the disruption from the works in the town centre would have on the all-important Christmas trading season.
There will be temporary signs at the car parks in Bernard Street, Edward Street and by the Municipal Buildings, telling people about the short-term changes to the normal parking arrangements.
Shoppers will still have to obtain a ticket in the usual way by keying in their car registration, however no charge will be made if they are parking for two hours or less. The ticket is needed to make sure that there is a record of when people arrive in the car park and when they should leave. This is so that no parking fines are issued during the free period - if shoppers want to park for longer than two hours they will of course have to pay the appropriate fee as displayed on the ticket machines.
Emily Thrane, the Council's executive lead for car parking said: "We have had a very positive response to the announcement of free parking shoppers in Glossop. The Council hopes that this will redress the balance of the problems the exceptionally prolonged disruption has caused in the town and the loss of parking spaces through the closure of Lux Lux car park.
"The Council wants to do everything it can to make sure that businesses do not lose valuable trade and making it easier for shoppers to come into Glossop over the Christmas period."