This means that NHS staff, carers, and volunteers can continue to enjoy free parking. For these staff, passes are available through NHS Trusts, local authorities and the Royal Voluntary Service. For further details visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-health-care-and-volunteer-workers-parking-pass-and-concessions.

Free parking is also extended to those employees of businesses who have been working over the last few months during the lockdown and continue to provide key public services. These include employees of local and national government, those working in the food production, sales and delivery sectors as well as in transportation and utility services. These employees need to place a form of identification in their car windscreen from their employer to indicate they are using the car park for work purposes. This should show the business name and registration of the vehicle.

The free parking measure will be reviewed at the end of June 2020. Anyone with queries should contact the council’s parking services team on car.parks@allerdale.gov.uk.

When using short stay car parks users should clearly show their time of arrival, such as with a parking disc, as well as their essential worker permit. The short stay car parks are: Ladies Walk and Udale Street at Workington; Tithebarn Street, Booths at Keswick; Bell Close at Keswick; Fairfield, Sainsbury’s at Cockermouth. This is not required in the long-stay car parks.

The council has also put in measures to reduce the risk of infection to its staff as well as the users of its car parks. This includes revised signage reminding people to:  

• keep more than 2m apart from anyone not from their household 
• park in alternate bays where possible  
• keep hands clean

Payment machines will only accept card payments, and the council is encouraging people to use the MiPermit app to pay for parking where this is available as this means there is no need to visit a pay and display machine. 

The app can be downloaded from mobile app stores and includes features such as reminders when their parking is due to expire, as well as the ability to top-up their parking time online without returning to their vehicle. The app automatically updates the system used by the enforcement team, meaning no penalty charge will be issued.  

Unfortunately, the app cannot currently be used in Fairfield (Sainsburys) car park in Cockermouth or the Booths car park in Keswick due to the need to provide a ticket for repayments to the supermarkets’ customers.

It also cannot be used in the following car parks as the council manages them on behalf of others: Rawnsley Hall car park, Derwent Pencil Museum car park at Keswick, Irish Street car park and South Quay car park at Maryport. 

Please note: The council is using the following definition of employees who continued to provide vital services during the coronavirus lockdown: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision.