Allerdale Borough Council has reintroduced parking charges after they were suspended in March following the Government’s easing of the lockdown and restrictions on travel.
However, parking continues to be free for key workers when they are working to provide vital services to the public. This means that NHS staff, carers, and volunteers can continue to enjoy free parking. For these staff, passes are available through NHS Trusts, local authorities and the Royal Voluntary Service. For further details visit the GOV.UK guidance for Coronavirus (COVID-19): health, care and volunteer workers parking pass and concessions.
Free parking is also extended to those employees of businesses who have been working over the last few months during the lockdown and continue to provide key public services. This includes employees of local and national government, those working in the food production, sales and delivery sectors as well as in transportation and utility services. These employees need to place a form of identification in their car windscreen from their employer to indicate they are using the car park for work purposes – this should show the business name and registration of the vehicle.
The free parking measure will be reviewed at the end of June this year. Anyone with queries should contact Allerdale Borough Council’s parking services team at [email protected]
When using short stay car parks users should clearly show their time of arrival, such as with a parking disc, as well as their essential worker permit. The short stay car parks in Keswick are: Tithebarn Street, Booths and Bell Close, and at Ladies Walk and Udale Street in Workington; and at Fairfield, Sainsbury’s at Cockermouth. This is not required in the long-stay car parks.
The council has also put in measures to reduce the risk of infection to its staff as well as the users of its car parks. This includes revised signage reminding people to:
- keep more than 2-metres apart from anyone not from their household
- park in alternate bays where possible
- keep hands clean
Payment machines will only accept card payments, and the council is encouraging people to use the MiPermit app to pay for parking where this is available as this means there is no need to visit a pay and display machine.
The app can be downloaded from mobile app stores and includes features such as reminders when their parking is due to expire, as well as the ability to top-up their parking time online without returning to their vehicle. The app automatically updates the system used by the enforcement team, meaning no penalty charge will be issued.
Unfortunately, the app cannot currently be used at the Booths car park in Keswick or the Fairfield (Sainsburys) car park in Cockermouth due to the need to provide a ticket for repayments to the supermarkets’ customers.
It also cannot be used in the following car parks as the council manages them on behalf of others: the Rawnsley Hall car park, Derwent Pencil Museum car park at Keswick; and the Irish Street car park and South Quay car park at Maryport.
