Free Saturday parking ends in 2011

From Saturday January 8, drivers will have to pay in both Rotherham town centre's council-run car park and the on-street parking bays.

The re-instatement of Saturday charges comes after Rotherham Borough Council has exhausted every alternative funding option in an effort to try to resolve the budget gap and continue some form of parking incentive.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Town Centres,  Cllr Richard Russell, said: "The funding we received to pay for free parking incentives was actually cut in July. But the authority agreed to find funding of its own to continue free Saturday parking to cover the Christmas period, which we know is so important to local traders.

"Unfortunately, funding to continue the scheme just is not available, especially as other essential services must continue under already reduced budgets.

"From speaking to the owners of businesses in town, we know that free parking has proved beneficial and we will continue to do our very best to look for ways in which we could continue to fund the scheme in the future."

In the meantime, the Council will ensure that parking signage is clearly amended to let drivers know of the changes in parking charges.

The authority would like to point out to shoppers that the town centre does, in comparison to neighbouring towns, offer low cost and plentiful parking.

For example it costs only £1.20 for two hours parking in all council-run off street car parks and 50p for half an hour, £1 for an hour and £2.50 for two hours for all on-street parking. By using their Shop Local card shoppers are still receiving good value when shopping locally in the town centre.