Selby District Council has agreed to keep car parking charges at their current rates, to support local businesses during the economic recovery.

Last night (Tuesday 01 June), the Council agreed to keep charges on hold for at least twelve months, following a comprehensive review. Car parking charges in the Selby district remain some of the lowest in the region, with a couple of hours town centre shopping in Selby costing less than one pound. Parking for an entire day costs just £2.50.

The recent review of charges also shows that since the Council introduced changes to the way in which the short stay and long stay car parks operate, there has been a near ten percent increase in the number of people using these car parks.

Leader of Selby District Council, Cllr Mark Crane, said, "We're in a time of hugely increased pressure on our budgets, with councils across the country facing some difficult financial decisions. It would have been easy for us to try and claw back some funding through increases in car parking charges, but we don't think that's the right approach. Traders across the district have faced a very difficult couple of years and the economic recovery is still fragile. Now is the time to support local business by keeping down costs for people who want to use their local shops and access local services.

"Figures show that the changes we made in 2008 have benefited our town centres, with a greater number of people using local car parks.

"Keeping parking charges as they are does mean we'll have to look elsewhere for some savings, but we're committed to helping businesses and individuals through the economic downturn to build a stronger Selby in the long-run."

One of Selby District Council's priorities for this year is working with our partners to secure the economic recovery of our community. This supports the authority's long-term aim of promoting prosperity.

There are eleven car parks operated by Selby District Council. Click here for full details.