Free parking in priority car parks for key workers

This offer has now concluded. Read the updated information by clicking this news story: https://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/news/article/808/parking_arrangements_return_to_normal

***Archived story, please click on the updated link above for the latest arrangements***

To support the many key workers as identified by the Government, the council is introducing free parking in priority car parks in King's Lynn and Hunstanton.

With effect from 2 April 2020, key workers will be able to park in Austin Fields East - near the sorting office, and the upper deck of the Vancouver Quarter car park (Sainsbury's) King's Lynn and Central Car Park Hunstanton, free of charge.

All they need to do is get a document or card from their employer with the following on it: their employer's logo, confirmation that they are a key worker as set out in the Government's guidance and an authorised signatory. This should then be placed on their dashboard.

This will be in place for the duration of the current stay home arrangements announced by Government last week. If the initial three week period announced by Government is extended then this parking arrangement will be extended for as long as necessary.

Any key workers that currently have parking permits will be credited for the period that this arrangement is in place, so that they also benefit from the free parking.

Cllr Stuart Dark, Cabinet Member for Emergency Planning, explained: "We had a request to provide parking for postal workers, which we thought was a good idea. However, discussing this with the Cabinet Member responsible for parking, we decided that it needed extending to all those people identified as key workers; people working in food shops and finance as well as postal workers. This scheme runs alongside the scheme already announced for NHS workers, carers and volunteers. We felt that this was a small thing we could do to recognise the great effort of all those who are keeping things going at this difficult time.

"However, it is still very important that people stay home, save lives and protect the NHS. We want to support our key workers at the same time as not encouraging people out by providing free parking to all. We will obviously keep this situation under review, but hope that the locations of these car parks will assist those people who are classed as key workers in Hunstanton and King's Lynn town centre."

Businesses who employ key workers as defined by Government need to provide their employees with a card or document with their logo on it, status of the key worker, and an authorised signature - no personal information.

Anyone who has an existing permit will have any subsequent permit, once the Covid-19 response is over, extended by how ever many days are left on their current permit.

They will need to email parkingpermits@west-norfolk.gov.uk to register their request including their registration number and the current permit number within the email. Once Covid19 is over and they apply for a new permit, they will need to email parkingpermits@west-norfolk.gov.uk with their new permit number along with registration so that the new permit can be extended by the amount of days left on their old one.

Stay at home

• Only go outside for food, health reasons, or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
• If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times
• Wash your hands as soon as you get home
• Do not meet others, even friends or family

You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.