Sefton Council has temporarily suspended enforcement of parking charges in Council car parks and on-street pay and display areas, while making certain car parks available for use by key workers.

During this time Sefton Council will not be enforcing charges at Sefton MBC car parks or at On Street Pay & Display parking locations. In line with national guidance this also ensures temporarily free parking for NHS workers and social workers across the borough. Sefton have also designated a number of car parks for the use of social workers and they will be able to park without risk of enforcement.

The authority however is not responsible nor has any control over the operation of privately owned car parks.

Civil Enforcement Officers working for the authority will however continue to carry out enforcement of dangerous and obstructive parking to ensure that our highways remain safe and emergency services and NHS workers are able to quickly and safely move through the borough.

The Local Authority are following other councils across the country and adhering to Local Government Association Guidance, which recommends the enforcement activity focuses on incidents of obstructive or dangerous parking.

This includes yellow lines at junctions, loading restrictions and obstruction of dropped kerbs.

A spokesman for Sefton Council said: “Civil Enforcement Officers will be following all guidance on social distancing and will be using vehicles rather than foot patrols to travel around the borough.

“These officers are providing a vital and much needed service to ensure our borough’s incredible emergency services and NHS staff are able to freely move throughout Sefton without obstruction.

“We know the vast majority of our residents will appreciate that this is an important service and that our operatives are simply doing their job.

“However we will not tolerate any abuse, either verbal, written or physical, towards officers who are simply carrying out their day to day duties. Moreover, we would not expect significant numbers using these car parks as the vast majority of our residents should be staying at home, in alignment with the national guidance”

More information about community services with have been affected by the COVID-19 situation can be found via www.sefton.gov.uk/communitycovid

Should do this now on a PERMANENT basis,and let us get people back into the town when this coronavirus has been dealt with.

Originally Posted by SteveandLois

Should do this now on a PERMANENT basis,and let us get people back into the town when this coronavirus has been dealt with.

Absolutely agree!

Originally Posted by SteveandLois

Should do this now on a PERMANENT basis,and let us get people back into the town when this coronavirus has been dealt with.

Couldn't have put it better myself!

It's just like our Council...Free parking for everyone while
All the shops are shut!!! ?
Let's hope they throw us a bone when all the struggling businesses open to the public again - we're all going to need something to help start our town up again.
?

Before everyone starts lauding the Council’s decision to suspend parking charges, you need to bear in mind that we’re all on lockdown and unable to take advantage of this ‘generous’ offer. A far better idea, would be to suspend charges when things get back to normal, thus encouraging people back into the Town to pour money back into the retail economy that is presently suffering.

[QUOTE=justbecause;6720603. A far better idea, would be to suspend charges when things get back to normal, .[/QUOTE]

That is what I said in my post,about it being made PERMANENT when this virus has been hopefully sorted out.....Then get people BACK shopping in the town centre.