Free parking to be introduced in Plymouth city centre - for one weekend only

Free parking will be on offer at a Plymouth city centre car park next month to help boost tourism.

Shoppers and visitors will be able to park for free for up to four hours at Western Approach in Plymouth for the first weekend in April.

The announcement was made by Plymouth City Council’s cabinet member for transport Cllr Jonathan Drean at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday 8 March.

He said it is hoped free parking will "encourage people into town".

We will provide four hours free parking on both April 2 and 3 in a move to support business and visitors to the city centre," he added.

"Visitors will be able to use the offer in the morning or afternoon or evening, whether to do shopping, go for an evening meal or both.

"We hope it will encourage more people to use businesses and visit the city centre."

A trial is also being run to introduce eight motorhome parking bays within the Coypool Park and Ride Car Park and increase spaces in Dingle Road/Halcyon Road and along Elburton Road.

Cllr Drean said: "I’m incredibly proud to be announcing we are delivering a wide-ranging suite of commitments that support visitors, businesses, shoppers and residents to the city.

"The motorhome homes will provide new facilities to support Plymouths continental ferry services and the free parking weekend will be a welcome boost to businesses and shoppers.

"The additional parking bays for residents will provide some welcome relief where residents can find parking challenging.

"Furthermore, whilst already proud of the work we’ve done to expedite blue badge applications for the terminally ill, having already increased parking for persons with blue badges, we are going a stage further through doubling the current disabled parking on the Hoe Promenade."