A free parking offer for NHS staff, care workers and NHS volunteers involved in the Coronavirus response is being extended on car parks operated by South Lakeland District Council (SLDC).
The government has signalled that, as the Coronavirus pandemic begins to ease, it will be ending the key worker pass scheme which was introduced at the end of March.
But SLDC has announced it will continue to honour the parking passes and will allow any key workers displaying a valid pass to park for free in its car parks until the end of the year.
Under the national scheme frontline care staff and keyworkers could obtain a parking pass from their employer, which allowed them to park for free on council-operated car parks, with the government reimbursing local authorities for the cost.
Passes were available for qualifying key workers through employers including NHS Trusts, local authorities and the Royal Voluntary Service.
SLDC Leader, Councillor Giles Archibald said: “The government has provided support for this scheme but understandably it has decided it can no longer continue to subsidise free car parking to NHS, care and key workers.
“However, we in South Lakeland would like to show our gratitude by offering them the opportunity to park in our car parks free of charge for an extended period.
“Anyone who already has a pass under the scheme that has been issued to them by their employer during the pandemic can continue to display it in the window of their vehicle and they will be able to park for free on all SLDC-operated car parks in the district until the end of the year.’’
