FREE parking at council-owned car parks could be extended until September 2022.

Caerphilly County Borough Council abandoned parking fees on a temporary basis in June 2020 – a time when coronavirus restrictions were beginning to ease in Wales.

Labour councillor Jamie Pritchard, who is the deputy leader of the council, said: “The Labour administration has waived car parking charges in all council car parks since June 2020. We’re proposing to waive charges until September 2022 – so at least 27 months of free parking.

“This is significantly more than the previous Plaid or Independent-led council, who offered very little free car parking during their time.”

Cllr Pritchard added: “Our mission is to support businesses and residents in these tough times.

“A cross-party task and finish group will be set up shortly, so the Independent, Plaid and Labour group will be invited to give their views on the future of car parking charges across the borough.”

Opposition councillors have called for parking charges in council-owned car parks to be scrapped permanently.

Independent group leader Kevin Etheridge, who represents the Blackwood ward, called on the council’s cabinet to introduce the policy permanent, saying it would be “essential” to helping businesses and traders.

The main opposition group in the council, Plaid Cymru, has backed Cllr Etheridge’s calls.

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Llanbradach councillor Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group, said: “We support the principle of free parking in council-owned car parks on a permanent basis and, indeed, during the lockdown pressed the Labour administration for free parking to help traders.

“But there may need to be a restriction on the maximum time allowed to park to one or two hours to stop all spaces, particularly the Twyn car park in Caerphilly town centre, being taken up by workers rather than shoppers, as is intended.”

He added: “The Plaid Cymru ward members representing the town centre have raised this issue on a number of occasions but no action has been taken to date by the council.”

Cllr Mann said the measures were “necessary” in order to “support local businesses and help them recover strongly after such a difficult last 18 months”.