Park for free at weekends December

Drivers will need to get a ticket from the parking machines, to be eligible for the free parking, by typing in their vehicle registration. They will then be issued with a free ticket which must be displayed in your vehicle.

Drivers can park for free all day on Saturdays in December, with a ticket, at all Harborough District Council-owned long stay car parks in Market Harborough and all car parks in Lutterworth.

At short stay car parks – including Sainsbury’s – in Market Harborough drivers will be able to park for free on Saturdays, with a ticket, for up to four hours throughout December.  After that period normal parking charges will apply – so a new ticket will need to be purchased from the machine.

The Pop and Shop (30 minute parking) bays will not be in use on Saturdays in December and will become normal parking bays, so you will need a ticket to park here too for the allocated free time.

If parking in short stay car parks in Market Harborough, blue badge holders will not need to get a ticket to park for free in any bay – but must leave their clock on display in their vehicle. After four hours normal parking charges will apply.

Additional signage will placed in council car parks to make people aware of the offer.

Councillor Neil Bannister (pictured), Leader of Harborough District Council said: “We want to support local businesses and encourage people to ‘shop local’ and use the unique independent retailers we have in the district.”

The Council said the new approach of asking drivers to get a ticket before parking for free was in response to retailers who told the Council that they wanted a turnover of parking spaces in short stay car parks to ensure shoppers were easily able to find a place to park.

Short stay car parks in Market Harborough (free with ticket for 4 hours)

• Sainsbury's (Springfield Retail Park)
• Doddridge Road
• King’s Head Place
• Market Hall
• Mill Hill (Saturdays only)
• St Mary’s Road West
• Symington Way
• The Commons

Long stay car parks in Market Harborough (free with ticket all day)

• Angel Street
• Doddridge Road
• St Mary’s Road East
• Springfield Street
• Stamford Close
• Symington Recreation Ground

Lutterworth car parks (free with ticket all day)

• Chapel Street car park
• Church Close car park
• Country Park Car Park, Brookfield Way
• Dunley Way Football Club Car Park
• George Street car park
• Lutterworth Sports Centre Car Park, Coventry Road
• Station road car park
• Wycliffe Memorial Methodist Church Car Park, Bitteswell Road