Leeds City Council delivers free parking boost for local traders

Visitors to Leeds will be able to take advantage of free parking as part of the city’s efforts to get the high street buzzing again following the easing of national coronavirus restrictions.

Leeds City Council announced today that parking charges are being suspended in council-managed car parks and on-road spaces in the city centre and Otley for three weekends in April and May.

The country’s lockdown exit roadmap means that, as things stand, non-essential retail businesses will be able to reopen on April 12, while hospitality venues can also serve customers outdoors from that date.

The weekends covered by the council’s free parking initiative will be April 17-18, April 24-25 and May 1-2. It will also cover May 3, which is a bank holiday Monday.

Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said:

“We know how hard the last 12 months have been for our traders and we’re determined to do everything we can to help them through the COVID-19 crisis.

“There may now be some light at the end of the tunnel thanks to the success of the vaccine rollout programme, but the economic recovery will not happen overnight.

“Lifting these car parking charges on these dates will hopefully help encourage more people to return to the high street and support local businesses after they reopen.”

Maximum stay provisions – usually two hours for on-road spaces – will continue to apply.

For further information about council car parks in Leeds, visit https://www.leeds.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/parking.

ENDS