00:00Cardiff's free parking debate has taken yet another turn, and this time the council says
00:07the decision is final.
00:10Back in February the authority announced it would scrap the long-standing two hours of
00:14free parking in council car parks.
00:16That sparked immediate backlash from residents and businesses who warned it would hit footfall
00:20and push people away from local high streets.
00:22So the council went back to the public and thousands of people responded.
00:28More than 6,000 people took part in the budget consultation, and over half actually supported
00:33removing the free period, but that wasn't the end of the story.
00:36A second statutory consultation followed in the summer, and then a full re-consultation
00:40in the autumn.
00:43Now the revised plan is in place.
00:45From the beginning of December, council-run car parks in areas like Canton, Pont Canna,
00:49The Heath and Whitchurch will keep some free parking, but only for 30 minutes.
00:54After that, drivers will pay 50p for the first hour.
00:57The council insists that rates remain lower than those in comparable cities, and won't
01:01put people off.
01:03A spokesperson says the 30 minute window strikes a balance, enough time to pop into a local
01:08shop or pick something up, but still helping the council cover the costs of running car
01:13parks.
01:14Notices are already up to warn drivers about the new charges.
01:17And it isn't the only shakeup coming to Cardiff parking.
01:21In October, the council also revealed plans for a new surcharge on larger vehicles like
01:27SUVs, and although there's no start date for that quite yet.
01:30For now though, from December, free parking in Cardiff won't disappear entirely, but it
01:36will look very different.
01:37Who knows how it will affect Christmas?
01:39James P. Watkins, reporting for Local TV.
01:42Here are the panelists.
01:44Any questions coming up?
01:48Maybe.
01:49Let's ask if we can get this back?
01:50I think it's important, and you're there, but we can get this back?
01:55That's the most important, and I'm there.
01:55I don't know.
01:57Let's go here.
01:58Have a great afternoon.
01:59We've got a couple of hours.
02:01So let's go here.
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