Free parking available across Glastonbury and the Mendips in run up to Christmas

Mendip District Council will this year be once again offering free car parking in each of its 38 car parks across the district in the run up to Christmas.

Free festive car parking will be available from 2pm each day starting from Monday 12th December until Christmas Day as well as all day on New Year's Day.

This scheme has been running for several years now, but in previous years has been from 3pm each day, so shoppers will now be able to make use of an extra hour's free parking if required.

Despite this parking restrictions on time will still operate, which means that if parking is only allowed for a finite time e.g. 30 minutes, this time limit will still be enforced, so please check boards for time restrictions when using one of the council car parks.

Mendip District Council's portfolio holder for regulatory services, Cllr John Parham, said "We hope the scheme will encourage shoppers into the Mendip towns and spread trade across the day and the festive season.   Encouraging Christmas shopping in Mendip is important as the council is committed to supporting business development and growth and we hope that traders will respond positively by promoting both their businesses and their local communities. Let's hope for a happy and prosperous Christmas and New Year."

Despite this festive good news for motorists, there are proposals by Mendip for increases in parking charges across the district for both pay and display and season tickets.  If the proposals are agreed the new charges could come into force from the beginning of February 2012.