Car park charges suspended across Newham for Christmas shoppers

If you can’t face the idea of hectic high streets at the weekend, your Christmas shopping may just have been made easier.

Newham Council will be suspending parking charges in six of its car parks in the run-up to the festive period for the fourth year running.

Anyone using St John’s Road East, St John’s Road West or Madge Gill Way car parks, all in East Ham, Shaftesbury Road and Queens Market car parks in Upton Park and the Old Town Hall car park in Stratford will benefit from the free parking.

It applies to shoppers using the car parks on Friday, December 9, Monday, December 12, Friday, December 16 and Monday, December 19.

Cllr Ken Clark, cabinet member for building communities, public affairs, regeneration and planning, said: “The idea is to take the strain off shoppers and we hope that by offering free parking in these car parks on these dates we can encourage residents to visit our retailers on either side of the weekend and ease the weekend rush.”

The car parks will still be patrolled by traffic enforcement officers to ensure drivers are parked legally within marked bays and valid blue badges are on display in disabled parking bays.

Those who park illegally will be issued with a penalty charge notice.