Two free parking schemes for key workers, NHS, care workers and community volunteers

The Borough Council agrees to free parking for key workers and the County Council announces free parking for NHS, care workers and community volunteers

Following our story earlier today (1st April), the Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Response to Covid-19, Heacham councillor, Stuart Dark, spoke with Town and Around.

Now following his discussions with car park tsar Cllr Paul Kunes, the Borough Council is to provide free parking for all key workers who have been identified as such by the Government, including those involved in food shops, financial services and postal workers.

The car parks to be used are the upper deck at Sainsbury car park, at the Vancouver Centre, King's Lynn, Austin Fields East King's Lynn - near the sorting office.

In Hunstanton it is the Central Car Park.

Cllr Dark says that "We want to support our key workers at the same time as not encouraging people out by providing free parking to all.

"We will obviously keep this situation under review, but hope that the locations of these car parks will assist those people who are classed as key workers in Hunstanton and King's Lynn town centre.

"However, it is still very important that people stay home, save lives and protect the NHS."

To get free parking workers will need to get a document or card from their employer with the following on it: Their employer's logo, confirmation they are a key worker as identified in Government guidelines and an authorised signatory. To be visible the card or document should then be placed on the dashboard of their vehicle. The scheme will continue while the Government stay at home arrangements last.

Any key workers that currently have parking permits will be credited for the period that this arrangement is in place, so that they also benefit from the free parking. Key workers who have an existing permit will have any subsequent permit, once the Covid19 response is over, extended by how ever many days are left on their current permit. They will need to email parkingpermits@west-norfolk.gov.uk to register their request including their registration number and the current permit number within the email. Once Covid19 is over and they apply for a new permit, they will need to email parkingpermits@west-norfolk.gov.uk with their new permit number along with registration so that the new permit can be extended by the amount of days left on their old one.

The Borough Council urges all businesses who employ key workers as defined by Government to provide their employees with a card or document with their logo on it, status of the key worker, and an authorised signature - no personal information.

Information about free priority parking for key workers is available online @west-norfolk.gov.uk/keyworkerparking

This is addition to the scheme published yesterday when Norfolk County Council announced free parking would be available to NHS workers, care workers and community volunteers, who are helping people across Norfolk.

Cllr Martin Wilby, chairman of the Norfolk Parking Partnership, said: “The way people have risen to the challenges of the pandemic is truly remarkable and we want to do all we can to support those who are out there looking after communities across Norfolk. NHS, social care staff and community volunteers can all get the new permit.

“I also want to thank, and urge others to support, all the parking enforcement officers who are still working to make sure our streets stay clear and accessible for our colleagues in the police, ambulance and fire services.”

The new permit will allow free parking in all council run car parks, in on-street pay and display bays, permit parking and time limited waiting bays. However to ensure vital spaces will still remain available, and roads accessible for emergency services, the new rules will not apply to disabled parking bays, loading bays, car club spaces and double yellow lines. Initially permits will be valid for three months, however this will be extended if necessary.

To find out more, and to apply for a permit, visit: www.norfolk.gov.uk/freeparking.