Free parking at revamped Mansfield town centre car park - for a week anyway

Mansfield Council papers state the car park, boasting more than 350 spaces, will be opening ‘imminently’ following a two-year closure for improvement works.

Work has included concrete panels on the outside of the car park replaced by a decorative metal cladding, alongsides security fencing, replaced slabs and some internal repair work.

It came as part of a £1.7 million project by the authority to ‘enhance the look’ of the car park and replace concrete cladding coming ‘to the end of its life’.

The council expects the car park to be popular with shoppers, due to its proximity to town centre shopping.

It is also next to the Stockwell Gateway development on the old bus station site, with construction currently under way on a hotel, Domino’s takeaway and Taco Bell and a Tim Hortons restaurants.

Now the council has confirmed parking fees will be waived for at least the first week of the car park being open to encourage more shoppers to use it.

Prior to its closure, the authority charged £1 per hour, or three hours for the price of two, for shoppers to use its 307 regular and 48 disabled parking bays.

Income

The removed fee, documents state, will cost the council about £700 in lost income. However, it hopes the offer will increase income and usage of the car park in the long-term.

It comes after a decision by Sarah Troman, council head of neighbourhood services, to temporarily waive parking fees at the site.

Documents published by the council state: “The car park is due to reopen imminently and, in order to support the reopening and encourage the public to use the car park, a temporary free period of parking will be introduced.

“It is envisaged that, once customers use the car park during the free period, they will realise the benefits of parking there and will increase the throughput and income.

“The period of free parking shall be for a minimum of one full week – i.e. Monday to Saturday – and part-week should the car park re-open mid-week.

“This is to avoid confusion for customers by introducing charges part way through a week.”

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