Free parking is being introduced for three months at a city centre car park.

The scheme will run at the Bradford Council-run Oastler Shopping Centre multi-storey car park in Westgate from Friday, April 1. It will offer a maximum of two hours free parking from 2pm every day except Sundays.

Market traders and city centre retailers hope the Council incentive will boost their afternoon sales.

Councillor David Green, the Council’s executive member for regeneration and economy, said: “Free parking will hopefully be a great incentive for people to take advantage of the fantastic range of shops and quality bargains to be found in the Oastler Shopping Centre and city centre businesses.”

Colin Wolstenholme, the Council’s markets manager, said: “Members of the market tenants’ association wanted to put together a marketing campaign to increase footfall into the centre and one element of that is trying to encourage more non-users by offering limited free parking.

“After 2pm the footfall in the centre reduces so it’s about trying to promote afternoon trade.”

Jeff Frankel, director of Sydneys The Jewellers and a member of the market tenants’ association, praised the Council for listening to traders.

Val Summerscales, secretary of Bradford Chamber of Trade, who has been calling for more free parking in the city centre for some time, said: “It’s essential to have free parking to attract people into the city centre to compete with free parking at out-of-town shopping centres.”

  • Read the full story in Thursday's T&A