We are pleased to announce that for a third year in a row, we will be offering reduced parking fees over the Christmas period at nominated council car parks.

Local businesses are at the heart of Torbay, and we want to make it as easy as we can for people to shop locally and support local businesses, especially over the Christmas period.

The offer will commence on Wednesday 1 December and run until (and including) Friday 24 December.

Cllr Steve Darling, Leader of the Council, said: “It has been another hard year for some of our local businesses. Despite the influx of visitors we’ve had over the summer, we still must do all we can to shop locally. We are lucky enough to have so many fantastic shops on our doorstep and the reduced parking fees have worked so well over the last few years to help bring in business and I’m sure people will take advantage of the offer again this year.”

Cllr Mike Morey, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Environment and Culture, said: “TDA conducted some research and found out that 40 percent of high street businesses in the Bay did not have a website. These businesses rely solely on customers visiting in person. By offering these reduced parking fees we hope to elevate peoples worries around queuing and their parking running out - making shopping over the Christmas period more relaxing.”

The scheme will run in the following car parks:

• Torquay - Lower Union Lane and Union Square
• Paignton - Victoria
• Brixham - Freshwater and Oxen Cove

The fee of £1.40 will cover parking from when you arrive until midnight the same day.

For people using Brixham central car park, the £1.40 fee will allow for up to the maximum of 3 hours: this would normally cost up to £3.50.

Free on-street parking in Torquay and Paignton

The usual free street parking will still apply in Torquay and Paignton on Sundays in December on the following roads:

• Torquay - Magdalene Road, Lymington Road, Castle Road, Union Street, Babbacombe Road
• Paignton - Palace Avenue