A proposal to charge for parking after three hours in Hatfield has been confirmed by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council following a cabinet meeting earlier this week.

On Tuesday, March 9, the cabinet unanimously voted to agree on the recommendations from the cabinet planning and parking panel (CPPP).

Parking will remain free for three hours under the proposals, including at the multi-storey, with charges of £3.50 for three to four hours and £6.50 all-day - agreed as part of the council’s budget setting process.

This means people will now be able to stay longer in the town, which they could not do previously without moving their cars.

Business season tickets are set at £200 per year, around 70p per day for the average local worker, including the option to pay quarterly - but this figure is up from £50 a year.

The car parks would be open 24 hours a day, seven days per week. Restrictions are proposed to apply Monday to Saturday 7am to 6pm, in line with Welwyn Garden City.

At the CPPP meeting, a discussion ensued on whether it would be possible to include the proposal of £50 parking permit fee for NHS staff, as a recommendation from the Panel to Cabinet.

But it was noted that fees and charges had been confirmed via cabinet and full council and that it would not be possible to introduce such a fee at this point - but could be considered at a later date.