RESIDENTS’ and business parking permits have been suspended for three months.

Craven District Council has already made all its car parks free because of coronavirus, has now suspended its parking permit schemes and will review the situation after three months.

Between now and July, the council is asking people to avoid using the car parks, unless they are key workers, community volunteers, or carrying out essential shopping. It says permit holders should keep their permits safe, to use them later in the year, and those who pay by direct debit should not instruct their banks to cancel the payments.

A council spokesperson said: “The council will not request any payment until July 20 at the earliest and will issue an invoice in advance of the first direct debit payment once the restrictions have been lifted.

“If a permit holder has paid for their permit or permits in full the council is proposing that the renewal charge next year will be for the number of active months they were able to use the car parks this year.”

Anyone who has cancelled their direct debit will be asked to show the permit has been destroyed, or returned to the council. Once the restrictions have been lifted, those who have cancelled their payments will have to request a new permit. Updated information on all services online at: www.cravendc.gov.uk/coronavirus