Free parking to continue in council owned car parks in Wrexham – but only after 11am

Parking fees in all council-owned car parks are being reinstated for the first time in six months – however those visiting the town after 11am can continue to park for free.

Since March Wrexham Council has offered a free parking initiative in all its car parks within the town centre.

Initially this decision was made to support critical workers at the height of the pandemic. A decision was later made to extend the scheme to help encourage shoppers back into the town and businesses started to re-open.

However from today parking charges will be introduced in all council-owned car parks after what has been described as a “misuse by many town centre workers and residents”.

Now fees will be back in place between 8am – 11am. Anyone visiting the town after 11am will not have to pay for parking.

This new initiative does not include the Tŷ Pawb multi-storey, where normal parking charges will apply all day.

Charges are also being reinstated in Wrexham’s country parks, the technology park and Ruabon station. These will not be free after 11am.

Councillor Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, said: “Free parking has been in place since the end of March in order to support workers providing critical services for the public.

“We suspended car parking charges at the beginning of lock down and continued with the offer as lockdown has gradually been relaxed we continued to offer free parking in order to support town centre traders, particularly independent traders who had been severely affected by the lockdown.

“Unfortunately, the opening up of the town centre has led to free parking being mis-used by many town centre workers and residents and we have now taken the decision to reinstate charging but to allow free parking in the majority of town centre car parks after 11am.

“This we hope this will encourage visitors to the town centre to support town centre traders.

“I would like to thank staff and fellow coalition members for their support with free parking and the introduction of the free after 11am offer.”

Visitors are being reminded that time limits in the short stay car parks will apply and should be observed – fines will be issued to vehicles staying longer than permitted in short stay car parks.

There’s also a new Off Street parking places order being introduced at the bus station which will help with the management of the bus station and adjacent disabled bays.

Charges will apply at these disabled bays and they will be enforced like disabled spaces in other council car parks. They will be free after 11am.