Car park charges to resume in Horsham District

Parking charges are set to resume in Horsham District council owned car parks from Monday 15 June 2020 when many non- essential shops are allowed to reopen.

Other councils in West Sussex have either never stopped car park charging or resumed doing so on 8 June.

Parking charges were suspended in all Horsham District Council owned car parks to help residents park more safely, support key workers and avoid road congestion during the Coronavirus situation.

With full lockdown measures in place and many people staying at home there was a shortage of on-street parking spaces, especially for the key workers travelling to and from work. The car parks provided a space for residents to park safely without adding to road congestion.

During the coronavirus lockdown the Council has been using its financial reserves to cover a loss of income of some £0.75million a month and this is unsustainable for any length of time.

Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for the Local Economy and Parking Cllr Paul Clarke said:

“With lockdown restrictions being relaxed and people now able to travel freely, the pressure on street parking spaces has decreased significantly.

“Central Government has substantially eased lockdown restrictions. Many people are now able to return to work and more shops will be able to open.

With the reopening of our town centres and workplaces, parking charges will help us to manage the demand for parking and ensure there is regular turnover of spaces, so people have space to park when they want to visit our towns and go shopping.

“Car parks are a major capital investment for councils and while suspending charges during the lockdown was the right action to take, the Council lost substantial income over that period. This is an unsustainable situation if we are to maintain our services to residents.  We need to take action to try to restore our income as soon as possible.

“NHS staff and care workers with a valid permit on display will continue to receive free parking in our car parks and designated on street parking bays.”

Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for the Local Economy and Parking Cllr Paul Clarke

Signage will be installed in car parks to remind users of how very important it is to continue to follow social distancing when getting in and out of vehicles or moving around the car park.

To avoid contact with payment machines, people are advised to pay for their parking by setting up a Horsham Parking autopay account.  This online account can be used use in our three ANPR multi-storey car parks, Piries Place, Swan Walk and Forum in Horsham.

In our market towns and village car parks residents are urged to purchase an Annual Parking Disc from the Council.

Sign up for ANPR autopay

Sign up for an Annual Parking Disc

Additionally, you can chose to pay by using the RingGo smartphone app. RingGo is available in all our town centre pay and display car parks. The RingGo location numbers are listed on the maps on our website, as well as on signs in the car parks.

Please visit our web-page for more details about RinGo.

However, if users choose to use a payment machine then signs will be on display to remind them to follow Government guidelines in respect of social distancing and hand washing.

Season ticket holders will automatically have additional time added to the end of their subscription period.

For media queries please email press@horsham.gov.uk .