In January 2021, Dartford Borough Council announced that parking charges in its paid for parking car parks and on-street bays had been suspended, in order to assist shoppers making journeys for essential supplies, and to alleviate on-street parking in busy residential areas. Dartford is the only Council in Kent to have waived all parking charges during lockdown.
However, with the roadmap to recovery in full swing and the Council keen to support local shops and businesses in the town centre, the Council’s Cabinet is expected to agree on Thursday that parking charges for on-street paid for parking bays will resume from 1st April 2021. This will ensure that spaces are not used for long stay parking and are available for customers of town centre shops and businesses. The Council’s on-street parking in the town centre is charged at just 50p for an hour.
New parking bays created in Market Street, Overy Liberty and Lowfield Street will be paid for by mobile phone or at designated retail pay-points instead of pay and display machines, to ensure they are more Covid-secure. There will also be new parking available in the new Mansion House Garden car park towards the end of April.
Today’s announcement on the resumption of charges only relates to on-street paid for parking bays. The Council’s car parks will remain free to use until further notice.