TRADERS and shoppers have been promised an early Christmas boost as councillors vow to reduce parking costs in Redcar.

Butcher John Gibbon said that his business had seen a £50,000 annual revenue drop since parking charges were introduced in the town and that 15 other businesses had confirmed that their revenue had also dropped.

He made the claims when he handed over a 10,000 name petition to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council calling for free parking in an attempt to boost trade.

Addressing members at full council, he said: “We are passionate about Redcar and want to see it do well.

“Other towns like Middlesbrough have free short term parking and it has been proven that it works in keeping people in the town.

"We need to look after Redcar businesses, and make sure Redcar shoppers use our High Street.”

Councillor Steven Goldswain, Labour's cabinet member for community protection, said: “We have introduced the Christmas free parking scheme two months early, where people park for free after 1pm, while we undertake a parking review.

“Change will happen. Whilst it is difficult to say exactly what that will be yet, the direction of travel is that there will be free parking of some sort.”

And Councillor Mark Hannon, the cabinet member for economic development, called for a more sensible approach to parking across the town.

He said: “It doesn’t help that we have overzealous traffic wardens who issue a ticket if you’re late by a minute, surely we need a more welcoming approach. I know we need them but they are one of the reasons that put people off coming into the town.

“The small shops in the town need our support, either by decreasing parking charges or totally scrapping them, we will welcome back people to Redcar.”

A review of parking is ongoing across the borough but a decision to ease the concerns of traders should be made in the coming days.

Liberal democrat councillor Josh Mason agreed something needed to be done sooner rather than later as the impact of out of town shopping centres and online shopping was intensifying.

Among the ideas that members will consider is a free first hour parking scheme or a parking disc scheme, similar to those operating in Guisborough, Yarm, Middlesbrough and Stockton, to get more shoppers into the town.