No Christmas break from parking fees

A trader has hit out at Oldham Council for refusing to waive parking charges over the festive season.

Manchester City Council has lifted all charges on December 26, 27 and 28 allowing shoppers to benefit from free parking as the sales start.

There is expected to be widespread confusion across the country as on-street parking restrictions and charges are often lifted on December 26.

But as Boxing Day falls on a Saturday this year, it is not an official bank holiday — leaving many councils planning to treat it as a normal day, with traffic wardens patrolling to maintain the usual parking rules.

Oldham Council has confirmed that the only day over Christmas when there will be no on-street or car parking charges will be Christmas Day.

The bank holiday falls on Monday this year but there will be charges in effect.

Manchester city centre has enjoyed a hugely successful festive shopping period with sales up 5 per cent on last year.

Paul Hughes, manager at Zutti Co in Yorkshire Street, said: “I think the decision by Oldham Council to enforce parking charges is counter-productive and miserly given the time of year and the weather conditions. People have got enough to worry about.”

Councillor Mark Alcock, cabinet member for environment and Infrastructure, said: “This is a decision that we take jointly in consultation with the Town Centre Partnership – and other local authorities are also charging for parking on these dates.

“We would advise all motorists to check the arrangements at any private car parks they may use. The Spindles and Town Square shopping centres, for example, will be charging.
“Oldham Council’s parking service is provided by NSL which employs enforcement officers to ensure vehicles are parked safely and are not hazardous to other road-users.

“That maximises the amount of parking available by ensuring that motorists park correctly and legally which is vital on what are likely to be busy shopping days. This is to done to ensure the safety of road-users and pedestrians and to keep traffic flowing freely — not to increase income for Oldham Council.”