CHRISTMAS shoppers will be able to park for free in Wyre Forest in the run up to the festive season and New Year.

All Wyre Forest District Council car parks will be free after 4.00pm, while some car parks will also be free to park all day on Saturdays and Tuesdays, from next month.

They include Bromsgrove Street, Kidderminster, Dog Lane, Bewdley and the car park at the rear of the Civic Centre, Stourport.

Free parking will run from November 17, when the Christmas lights are switched on in Kidderminster, until January 13, next year.

Conservative councillor Marcus Hart, the district council’s cabinet member for environmental services, said the scheme would help town centres during the busiest shopping period of the year.

“Free parking in our towns was a consistent message during our State of the Area Debate held earlier this year,” he said.

“The Council wants to support our town centre traders by allowing free car parking in each of the towns on the busiest shopping day, a Saturday, but also to encourage people to come into the town on what might otherwise be a quieter day of the week, a Tuesday.

“We have selected a car park in each of the towns which offers the best access to each of the town centres.”

In another boost for retailers, the authority is also organising a series of events and entertainment in the district to coincide with the free car parking.

Independent councillor Helen Dyke, member champion for town centres said: “We want to make a real difference this year to the shopping experience we can offer in the three towns.

"We’ve got some exciting new Christmas lights for Kidderminster and by putting on events across the three towns coupled with free parking, we aim to make Wyre Forest the place of choice for people to come and do their Christmas and New Year shopping this year.”