Elderly drivers will be able to purchase new parking permits launched this week by a local authority in a bid to improve accessibility.
St Albans City and District Council will allow residents aged over 70 to apply for a new Access Permit to make car parking easier and will cost £190.
It will cover all District Council car parks and has been introduced for people who have difficulty with digital payment methods such as using a mobile phone app.
The permit aims to prevent elderly drivers from feeling "digitally excluded" and will be valid for one visit a day for up to three hours at 15 off-street car parks within the St Albans and Harpenden area.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk
The parking permit will cost elderly drivers £190 for the year
GETTY
Councillor Helen Campbell said: "There is no statutory duty placed on us to provide such a permit, and I am not aware of any Councils that do, so this is quite an innovation.
"We are an inclusive council, responsive to the needs of all our community, and the permit is a demonstration of that. Many of our older citizens are more than happy to pay by contactless cards or apps, but there are some who struggle with these modern methods."
She added that the permit will provide elderly drivers with a more traditional way of paying in case they are unable to use digital methods.
The permits also coincide with new parking charges which will be introduced across the region from Monday, February 17, with the charges affecting roughly 243 bays in Harpenden and an additional 70 in St Albans.
The parking changes would see new limited on-street parking bays rolled out with new fees in place from 9am to 6pm in Harpenden and 8.30am to 6.30pm in St Albans.
Drivers will have to pay £1.25 for 30 minutes with a free 30-minute period included in the cost once a day while the two-hour cost will be £3.75.
Four new disabled bays will also be created to provide more parking facilities for motorists with Blue Badges.
Campbell shared that the authority "fully understands" that some people will be disappointed at being charged for a service they had traditionally been receiving for free.
She explained that the decision was in response to the consultations launched last year with many residents wanting the council to act.
The Liberal Democrat councillor for St Albans North said: "We listened to the feedback, and we made some significant changes as a result, such as changing the start of the controlled hours to 9am in Harpenden to help parents drop off for school, and meeting requests for a longer free period of 30 minutes."
The parking charges hope to encourage active travel, such as cycling and walking, where possible, rather than car use, which contributes to pollution.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Parking permits will be available to purchase from Thursday, February 13
GETTYThe council noted that another aim was to ensure a "greater turnover" of premium parking places and improve enforcement through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.
You may like
