Uttlesford District Council today announced that it will introduce a series of FREE car parking options in council-owned car parks running up to Christmas and into the New Year to help boost Christmas trade and increase shopping footfall in the shopping centres across the district.

This initiative is supported by the local retail community, the town teams and town and parish councils who all recognise that the introduction during the Christmas trading period and beyond will have a beneficial impact on the vibrancy of the town centres.

Cllr Susan Barker, cabinet member for Environment at the district council, said: “We understand that the Christmas trading period is one of the most important and busiest times for retailers and therefore we want to show them our support by introducing free car parking where we can across our car parks.

“I am sure that this will have a very positive impact both on trade and footfall and will help to reinforce our mission to keep our town centres alive and prosperous.”

The council will introduce free car parking after 3pm on every Saturday in December, (7, 14, 21). From Christmas Eve to Sunday, January 5, the majority of council-owned car parks will be free of charge every day except Waitrose/Fairycroft. There will be free parking all day on Saturday, December 7 at Crafton Green car park in Stansted in support of its Christmas Fair.

Cllr Howard Rolfe, cabinet member for Communities & Partnerships, said: “We wanted to show our support for Small Business Saturday this year which is a national campaign to encourage more people to shop locally on Saturday, December 7.

“An important way to do this is by introducing some free car parking across all our council-owned car parks from this Saturday and into December and the New Year.”