Local authorities across the midlands are waiving parking fees in the run up to Christmas.
Public parking concessions are being offered to shoppers across the midlands this Christmas.
The local authorities in Westmeath, Offaly, and Laois are hoping the measure will help local businesses through December.
Here's the full run-down of where and when you can avail of free parking around the region:
Westmeath
📣𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 - 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞
— Westmeath County Council (@westmeathcoco) November 30, 2022
Free car parking will be available in the Westmeath County Council public car parks in Athlone Town for one week from Saturday 17th December – Saturday 24th December 2022 inclusive.
————————@westmeathcoco pic.twitter.com/Zx4Ohel8jR
For those looking to head to Athlone, there'll be free parking in all Council car parks from the 17th to the 24th of December inclusive.
Council spaces will be free in Mullingar on:
Saturday 10th December
Friday 16th December
Saturday 17th December
Thursday 22nd December
Friday 23rd December
Saturday 24th December
This applies only to the public car parks and paid parking will operate as normal on the main streets of the town where parking is limited to a maximum of two hours in order to ensure a turnover of vehicles.
In addition, Lynnbury Carpark (at the rear of the County Buildings) is open for free parking every weekend.
Offaly
Remember to #LookForLocal this Christmas. There are so many wonderful shops and creative businesses in #Offaly that would appreciate your support. 👀 for updates re free parking in #TullamoreThisChristmas , #Birr & #Edenderry @DistrictChamber pic.twitter.com/P38s24JYNH
— Offaly County Council (@offalycoco) December 2, 2022
In Birr, the first hour is currently free in all on-street and car park areas from Monday 12th December until Sunday, January 1st.
In Tullamore, the first hour of parking in all on-street and car park areas is free until 31st December.
There will also be free parking all day every day at Daingean Road Carpark (5 mins walk from
town centre).
Parking remains free for all day, every Sunday in the town.
And in Edenderry, the first two hours of on-street parking are free until Thursday 24th December.
On-street parking on Saturdays is also free for the entire month of December.
Laois
In support of ‘’shopping local’’ in the lead-in to Christmas, no parking charges will apply to Laois County Council operated public parking areas in Portlaoise, Portarlington and Mountmellick on the following days;
Saturday 3rd December 2022
Saturday 10th December 2022
Saturday 17th December 2022
Saturday 24th December 2022
This support relates to parking charges only. Parking time limits (2 hours in short term car parking zones) will remain and will be enforced to ensure turnover of spaces.
Enforcement regarding other parking offences such as unauthorised parking on footpaths and/or unauthorised parking in loading/disabled bays, parking on double yellow lines etc. will continue as normal, further to the provisions of Road Traffic Regulations.
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