There will be no free car parking for the Wokingham Winter Carnival, the Woodley Winter Extravaganza, or in the run up to Christmas this year, Wokingham Today understands.
Although the final decisions have yet to be taken, Wokingham borough council looks set to confirm the news in the coming weeks.
As in previous years, the council will continue to provide free bus services on specific routes on specific days.
In 2023, Wokingham borough council provided free car parking at its car parks for three Saturdays in the run up to Christmas.
In 2023 and 2024 it offered free bus travel on the six Saturdays leading up to Christmas, funded by a Department for Transport grant.
Specific Sunday services were also free for the Wokingham Winter Carnival, and for the Woodley Winter Extravaganza.
The decision to provide free bus travel this year was made at the council’s ruling executive in March as part of the bus improvement plan.
Notes to that meeting said: “Our residents have said that prices are increasing.
“We know Christmas is a time of year when many residents feel pressure on their personal finances.
“We want to ease this pressure and support local businesses by providing free bus travel on Saturdays from within the borough.”
Cllr Mark Ashwell, executive member for business development, told Wokingham Today that he’d prefer to see the money that would be used to provide free parking for the two events being used to benefit retailers in other ways.
He said: “These events themselves will bring people into Wokingham and Woodley, and our retailers will be able to profit from the increase in footfall.
“I believe that our businesses would welcome footfall on other occasions, and the budget we would have devoted to those events could be used for that purpose.”
Wokingham Today understands the cost of providing free parking could amount to £15,000 per event.
A spokesperson for Wokingham borough council added: “The principle of having several free travel days in the run up to Christmas this year was agreed by our executive earlier in the year.
“The final dates have not yet been confirmed. We are currently discussing this with local bus operators and neighbouring authorities.”
