Free parking for district moves a step forward

Plans for free weekday parking across a district after 16:00 have moved a step forward.

Huntingdonshire District Councillors have agreed to introduce the measure by using money from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA).

Paul Bristow, the Conservative mayor of the CPCA, previously pledged £1.5m to trial free parking in parts of Peterborough and Huntingdonshire.

Free parking in Peterborough is being introduced on Monday and Huntingdonshire District Council is still to confirm a start date, although a meeting heard proposals for the scheme to be running by October.

The mayor has pledged to fund the 18-month trial up to March 2028.

The council is run by a coalition of Liberal Democrats, Green and Independent councillors.

The decision to go ahead with the scheme was approved by the council's cabinet on 14 July.

The decision was then called in - a process where a councillor can ask a decision to be reviewed - by opposition Conservative councillors.

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The issue was discussed again by the authority's Overview and Scrutiny Panel on Wednesday.

Ross Martin, the council's Conservative group leader, said in the meeting the party had concerns the evidence put before the cabinet was "flawed" and they were worried it may cost the council money.

Independent councillor Julie Kerr, the lead member for parks and countryside, waste and street scene, said the authority could stop the trial if the scheme ended up costing the council money.

During the meeting's discussions it was revealed that the mayor had originally asked if the council would cover the additional cost of bringing in free parking from 15:00 - to bring it in line with Peterborough City Council - but the authority declined.

An amendment to the original plan was put forward by Ricky Ioannides of Reform UK, which called for regular financial updates and for any change to come back to councillors.

The trial is due to finish in March 2028, which is the same time local authorities in Cambridgeshire are due to merge under local government re-organisation.

During the meeting Kerr said the authority would pass on the evidence from the trial to the new council.

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