SHOPPERS will be given an extra 30 minutes "grace" before they are handed a parking ticket.

Bradford Council has recently re-started parking enforcement after suspending it during lockdown.

But with social distancing measures meaning people are more likely to be stuck in queues on shopping visits, the Council has decided to change its ticketing policy.

The grace period before people are ticketed is currently just 11 minutes.

The policy will only apply to pay and display parking, and so far is due to last until the end of July.

The Council today announced: "The extension will give people extra time to allow for the government’s social distancing measures put in place to control the spread of Covid-19.

Baildon councillors call for extended free parking

"Shoppers are currently having to queue outside shops and the number of people allowed inside shops is limited."

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “We’ve done a lot of work to help people social distance on the high street but we understand that limits on the amount of people safely allowed in shops at any one time means we’re all queuing to get into many places. 

“We don’t want people to get caught out if their parking ticket expires before they’d had the chance to get back to their car, so for a few weeks we’ll allow a longer grace period before enforcing expired parking tickets.”

Bradford Council last week dismissed calls from Baildon Conservative Councillors to continue free parking while businesses get back on their feet following lockdown.

In response to that call Cllr Ross Shaw said: "Parking charges play an essential role in the careful management of our town and city centres where there is high demand for parking space.

“They encourage a healthy turn-over of vehicles and shoppers."