MOTORISTS look set to benefit from two hours free parking across the borough from next month.

One hours free parking is currently available in all Dudley Council-owned car parks as part of the authority's drive to boost town centre trade but the length of the complimentary stay is expected to double, subject to cabinet approval on Wednesday (March 21).

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley's cabinet member for environmental services, said: “Shoppers and traders alike have told us how the current one hour of free parking has been a very welcome boost.

“Once again we are listening to what the people of Dudley borough have to say and we are extending the free parking to two hours to give shoppers a longer time in our town centres.”

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of the council, added: “People have told us that two hours of free parking will make a considerable difference and we are looking forward to rolling this out across the borough from the start of next month.

"This move will provide a huge boost to retailers across the borough. Dudley is the only council across the whole of the West Midlands providing this incentive and is bucking the national trend, which has seen many local authorities increase car parking charges using the motorist as a cash cow.

"With this move we are giving the biggest boost to the High Street that a local council can."

For information on current parking tariffs in Dudley Council car parks people can visit www.dudley.gov.uk/resident/parking-roads.