Motorists and businesses in Swansea city centre are set to benefit from a new set of car park charges in its car parks.
Swansea Council is launching its new 1-2-3-4-5 parking charges scheme on July 24.
And will mean motorists parking in council-owned car parks in the city centre* will pay no more than £5 to park all day.
The scheme will also mean that the first hour will cost £1, two hours will cost £2, finally reaching the £5 all day charge.
The Council has launched the package to encourage more people into the city centre and support local retail. The charges are also likely to be the cheapest in the country for a major city.
Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, said: “Motorists will pay just £5 to park all day in city centre car park and this makes us one of the cheapest cities in the UK.
“The council is continuing to do everything it can to support local businesses as well as helping to ease the burden on hard-pressed families struggling to pay their bills.
“Our latest plans are part of our commitment to businesses, city centre workers and visitors to the city centre to ensure they get value for money when they park in the city centre.
“We recently provided two days of free parking in the city centre and it helped encourage plenty of people in and support local businesses. Our aim will be to repeat this and provide more free weekend parking initiatives during the summer months.
The latest plans have been welcomed by city centre business leaders who have been working with the Council to establish the charges.
Russell Greenslade, Chief Executive, Swansea BID, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to welcome this new parking offer provided by Swansea Council. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to contribute valuable input and insights into creating this new initiative.
“The implementation of this new pricing structure is a significant and positive step forward and shows commitment to understanding the needs and aspirations of our city centre businesses and illustrates how collaboration between the private and public sectors can create positive change.
“We are eager to witness the positive impact that these new parking offers will have on our city centre and our businesses and hope they will attract more visitors, encourage longer stays, and drive increased footfall and spend to our businesses.”
Swansea’s free bus service is also set to return at the end of July. Residents and visitors will be able to travel for free anywhere in Swansea during long weekends (Fri-Mon) up until the end of August.
Cllr Stewart added: “We’ve had enormous success with the free bus travel plans, helping boost use of public transport as well as enabling families to save money when they travel.
“With the introduction of the cheaper parking tariffs, free weekend parking and free bus travel, Swansea is likely to be the most value-for-money city in the country and will give families the chance to save their money during the school summer holidays.”
Future plans include looking at parking charges at coastal and beach car parks – which are currently subject to different summer and winter charges. The council will be aiming to consult with coastal businesses on option for new charges later in the year. In the meantime, residents visiting coastal areas can still benefit from residents discounts.
*The offer excludes Copr Bay Multi Storey Car Park.
