CAR parking charges that have been scrapped since December are set to resume next month across Test Valley, it has been confirmed.

Since Boxing Day 2020 [December 26], Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) suspended parking fees in all of their car parks after health secretary Matt Hancock announced most of Hampshire would be plunged into Tier 4.

The local authority continued to freeze parking charges from January 5, when England was thrown into its third lockdown, to help battle the growing number of coronavirus cases.

Deputy leader for TVBC, Cllr Nick Adams-King, revealed parking fees would return on April 12 - when pubs and non-essential shops are set to reopen as part of Boris Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown.

The community leader wrote in a Facebook post: "At the moment parking remains free in all Test Valley Borough Council car parks.

"Charging is due to resume on April 12th when the next review of lockdown restrictions is due and non-essential shops are scheduled to re-open.

"If for any reason the restrictions stay in place then we will not re-introduce charging until non-essential shops are allowed to re-open."

Hampshire Chronicle:

He added prices would not increase, so drivers can still pay "£1 for up to two hours in the town centre car parks".

Parking will remain free from 4pm to 8.30am and on Sundays and bank holidays.

The public must continue to pay in "Aldi's car park", he added.

However, the leader stressed this time TVBC will not give drivers an extra week of free parking from April 12, which previously helped the public adjust to the new rules.

This comes after some angry divers slammed the local authority for scrapping parking fees in Romsey, claiming it was “a nightmare” after charges were ditched to help people during the first and second lockdown.

Residents vented their anger on the Advertiser's Facebook page over the scrapped charges, with some believing it took them 30 minutes to find a space.