Council to provide free weekend car parking over Christmas starting tomorrow.

Havering Council is to provide free parking in all council car parks at weekends from tomorrow, Saturday 5 December.

This is to help support local businesses in our high streets and town centres over the Christmas period.

Parking fees will be suspended for the next five Saturdays, from 5 December to 2 January inclusive. This is in addition to the free parking on Sundays already in place, which will continue. 

The Council is also continuing to provide a Havering Heroes parking permit for NHS and other key workers, that enables them to park in resident bays and Council car parks free, for up to three hours during the week and weekends.

Councillor Damian White, Leader of Havering Council, said:

“Under the Tier 2 restrictions, shops in our borough have been allowed to re-open again this week and we ask residents to support them but to do this safely, as the virus is still very much present.

“In order to support both residents and our local businesses, we are suspending the parking fees in our car parks until 2 January for the next five Saturdays, to ensure our shops get that support at what is one of the most important times of the year for them. 

“The retail and hospitality sector has borne the brunt of the necessary restrictions we have faced, as we try to put brakes on the spread of coronavirus. 

“Not only does free parking support our residents to shop local – it will hopefully provide a welcome boost to Havering businesses after such a challenging year.”