The Welsh Liberal Democrat – Green Group has today called for free parking in all Powys County Council car parks, following the further easing of Covid-19 restrictions by the Welsh Government, which allows non-essential shops to re-open from today (22nd June), subject to strict social distancing rules.

The Group’s Leader, Cllr James Gibson-Watt, has written to the ruling Independent – Conservative Cabinet’s Member for Highways to ask that she brings in free car parking on the council’s car parks to help revive the county’s market town centres after the damage caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus.

Commenting, Cllr Gibson-Watt said: “The Council is running a co-ordinated ‘buy local’ campaign and we strongly support that initiative. Our market towns were struggling badly before the Covid-19 pandemic struck and now they need all the help they can get to put them back on their feet.

"Traffic and on-street parking restrictions are going to be needed to ensure people can walk around our town centres observing social distancing to stay safe, which means people will have to use the car parks to visit and shop, even if they are only staying for very short periods.

"It would be a big boost to the retail and commercial businesses in town centres for there to be free parking during this period of revival and I hope the Cabinet can support our request.”