Drivers to benefit from free parking amid major overhaul of car park rules

Thousands of drivers could benefit from free parking in a bid from a local council to promote shopping on high streets across the council.

South Gloucestershire Council has confirmed that drivers will be able to use any space to park for free for 30 minutes in certain council-run car parks.

The new offer will apply to car parks where charges were introduced last year, with the new rules set to be introduced in June.

Local stakeholders, including the Chambers of Commerce, town and parish councils, spoke in favour of introducing measures to boost the high street.

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The new rules will see drivers benefit from 30 minutes of free parking in all bays, not just those that were marked under the previous scheme.

Blue Badge holders will still be able to park for free for up to four hours across South Gloucestershire.

All drivers will need to register their vehicle at the machine or via an app, even if they only plan on staying for the free 30-minute period.

They can also extend their stay past 30 minutes, although they will need to pay, with tariffs starting from 80p for the first hour.

The scheme has already brought in more than £750,000 in funds for the council, despite only being introduced in May 2025.

Sean Rhodes, South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Local Place, said the authority was introducing the measures to "balance the books".

He said: "Implementation has been broadly successful. Residents and visitors have adapted to using the app well and our car parks where charging is in place are being used well.

"We deliberately kept the price as low as possible, much cheaper than many other councils in the region, but we have been listening to local people and businesses, which is why we are going to make these improvements.

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"We have also been listening to our local traders and high streets and know that they are facing many challenges, common across the country, as people's shopping habits continue to change."

Occupancy rates varied around the region, with Kingswood, the Bank Road, Cecil Road, South Road and Kings Chase shopping centre car parks all seeing higher usage than projected.

However, Boultons Road, Rock Street, and Kennedy Way all saw less demand than was initially expected.

Other measures introduced by South Gloucestershire Council included a validation scheme to allow visitors to park for free near GP surgeries.

The local authority noted that the scheme was "effective", with more than 190,000 visits registered across six healthcare sites since the scheme was implemented.

Mid-June is being earmarked as the time for the new rules to be introduced once signage has been installed and the council's website and MiPermit app have been updated.

Mr Rhodes added: "We have to balance measures we can take to help keep our high streets thriving with the steps we need to take to maintain all council services in very difficult times financially.

"Crucially, we are generating much-needed revenue for the council, which as we go through our budget setting process for the coming year, takes some of the pressure off of needing to make cutbacks and to protect vital services, including social care support for older residents."

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