The annual festive parking initiative in Aberdare and Pontypridd will return once again this December. Town centre visitors will receive FREE parking from 10am each day, as we encourage residents to Shop Local at Christmas – and remind everyone that most businesses are open as usual following the recent storm damage.
The popular Council initiative will be applied for the eleventh consecutive year in 2024, and will again last for the whole month of December. This means that parking charges in all Council car parks will not be applied after 10am each day – from Sunday, December 1, to Tuesday, December 31, inclusive.
The offer is intended to encourage residents to do as much of their Christmas shopping locally as possible, and to increase access to festivities in our town centres. This will provide a boost to local traders at this very busy time of year – and will also support the business community that was affected by Storm Bert on November 24, when some businesses had internal flooding.
In Aberdare, FREE parking will apply to car parks at Crown Buildings, Green Street, Library, Duke Street, High Street, Nant Row, Rock Grounds and the Ynys. In Pontypridd, it will apply to car parks at Gas Road, Goods Yard (Council-owned section only), Millfield, Berw Road, Sardis Road and Catherine Street.
Please note that Library, Green Street, Duke Street and High Street car parks in Aberdare Town Centre, and Gas Road car park in Pontypridd Town Centre, are all short-stay locations – allowing for a maximum period of four hours.
Town centre visitors are also reminded that if you park before 10am during the offer period, you must display a ticket up until 10am. Car park ticket machines have recently been upgraded to accept contactless card payments, while retaining a cash payment option.
Alongside the free parking initiative, the Council has also announced that a £1 maximum fare will be applied for all bus journeys that start and end within Rhondda Cynon Taf – which will also help residents access our town centres. This subsidised travel will be supported by all bus operators and will apply from the first to the last service each day in December 2024. Details here.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Investment, said: “For the eleventh year running, the Council will waive its car park charges in Aberdare and Pontypridd – from 10am each day in December. This popular initiative has run for more than a decade, helping residents access all that our town centres have to offer in the festive season – from shops providing a range of products and services, to food and drink outlets and Christmas events.
“Businesses are the heart and soul of our retail areas, and we continue to encourage people to Shop Local where they can. This is an especially important message following the damage caused by Storm Bert on November 24, where some businesses were internally flooded. We’re encouraging families to do as much of their Christmas shopping locally as they can, in support of our local traders.
“Free town centre parking will also run alongside our subsidised bus travel offer, which is capping costs for all journeys in Rhondda Cynon Taf at just £1. This is the second December in a row that the two initiatives are being offered together. They both aim to provide some small help to families at what can be an expensive time of the year, at a time when the cost of living remains high.”
Posted on 29/11/2024