Parking is to be free after 3pm on weekdays at one of the biggest car parks in Douglas.
The move, at the Chester Street facility, is designed to boost retailing in the capital.
The town’s council took over management of the site together with Drumgold Street car park on June 1 as part of the government’s policy to transfer services to local authorities.
The council will be trialling ‘free after three’ parking on Monday to Fridays and a flat-rate charge of £2 all day on Saturdays.
Council leader David Christian said: ‘The council is committed to doing all it can to support the local economy by encouraging more shoppers into the town centre and for them to stay longer.
‘We recognise that Drumgold Street car park operating often at near-100 per cent capacity could deter shoppers and give the misleading impression that there is nowhere to park in the town centre.
‘Chester Street is a convenient alternative and this has led to our trialling the “free after three” scheme there, an incentive known to be successful in the adjacent isle [the UK] and especially popular with parents already out in their cars having collected their children from school.
‘Additionally weekends for many people provide the only occasion for shopping as a family and with this in mind we are introducing a £2 flat rate to park in Chester Street all day on Saturdays when motorists will also be permitted to use the contract spaces on levels 7, 8 and 9 as well as on Sundays
‘Town centre regeneration has done much to create a more appealing environment for visitors and local retailers. The council, which has invested significantly in the scheme, is therefore keen to explore whether more “shopper friendly” parking charges for Chester Street car park might help bring about a boost to the capital’s economy. ‘
Chester Street along with Shaw’s Brow and the Bottleneck car parks continue to be free on Sundays.
Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce retail committee Stephen Bradley said: ‘For some time trading conditions have been challenging while works to improve the main shopping area were being carried out. The completed regeneration scheme has, however, been welcomed by traders and we believe that those improvements combined with this new fee structure for Chester Street car park will encourage increased footfall.’
At one point the council discussed having different rates for parking in different facilities.
It had suggested cutting Chester Street from £1.80 an hour to £1.50 and increasing Drumgold Street from £1.80 to £2. This idea appears to have been dropped.
Environmental services committee chairman Cllr Ritchie McNicholl added: ‘Along with trialling this new charging structure at Chester Street we are improving the signage, and, in partnership with the Department of Infrastructure, the car park is being repainted, the lighting is being improved and there are plans to install new pay and display machines shortly. We are also exploring the possibility of increasing the size of the parking bays. In short the council in collaboration with government is making every effort to maximise town centre parking capacity and provide a better parking and visitor experience.’
In a further bid to attract shoppers the council has confirmed that parking will be free on Thursday evenings from 5pm and all day on Saturdays in Chester Street, Shaw’s Brow and the Bottleneck car parks from Thursday, November 26, to Thursday, December 31, inclusive.