Free Saturday town centre parking between September and April on the Isle of Wight has moved a step closer.
What was agreed
Full council last night (Wednesday, 16th September 2026) backed Reform UK councillor Reuben Loake’s motion proposing County Hall investigate the policy’s feasibility and report back for future discussions by elected representatives.
Why it’s being proposed
The submission says independent retailers and high streets across the Island face ‘distinct economic pressures’.
These, it states, are compounded by the seasonal nature of the Isle of Wight’s tourism economy.
The motion asserts a targeted, time-bound free parking framework from September to April would provide direct financial relief to the public, including local families, during off-peak months.
It also says making council-operated off-street town centre car parks free on Saturdays during those months would create a ‘powerful incentive’ for the public, including residents, to stay, spend, and support Island businesses.
Which car parks would be included
Councillor Loake’s motion states the incentive should be restricted strictly to core town centre shopping car parks and excludes coastal, beachside and transport-interchange car parks for financial reasons.
The motion
The motion in full reads:
Supporting Island High Streets with Free Saturday Town Centre Parking (September – April) inclusive
Council notes:
- That independent retailers and high streets across the Isle of Wight face distinct economic pressures, compounded by the seasonal nature of the Island’s tourism economy.
- That off-season footfall in key shopping hubs – including Newport, Ryde, Cowes, Sandown, and Shanklin – traditionally drops significantly between autumn and spring.
- That standard parking tariffs can deter residents from shopping locally, driving consumers toward online alternatives or out of town retailers and centres.
- That the Isle of Wight Council manages distinct categories of parking infrastructure, including beachside, coastal, and specific town centre commercial zones.
Council believes:
- That the above initiative should be explored to proactively support local business survival, job preservation, and high street vibrancy outside of the peak summer tourist season.
- That a targeted, time-bound free parking framework from September to April (inclusive) would provide direct financial relief to the public, including local families, during those off-peak months.
- That making council-operated off-street town centre car parks free on Saturdays during those months would create a powerful incentive for the public, including residents, to stay, spend, and support Island businesses.
- That this incentive should be restricted strictly to core town centre shopping car parks to directly benefit high street merchants, whilst safeguarding essential tourism and commuter parking revenues collected at coastal, esplanade, and ferry-link locations.
Council resolves:
- That the feasibility of such proposed support to designated Island High Streets be duly further investigated by the Section 151 Officer and relevant finance teams modelling the projected seasonal revenue impact of this suggested scheme and to identify changes in parking charges within the months of April to September (inclusive) to balance the budgetary position without compromising core statutory services and to report back.
- That the Council promptly considers such future report, with a view to introducing free parking in designated Isle of Wight Council-operated off-street town centre shopping car parks every Saturday from 1st September through to 30th April (inclusive).
- That such proposed policy amendment be strictly limited to high-street supporting off-street car parks to be defined by parking services as part of a review.
- That all coastal, beachside, and transport-interchange car parks (such as Ryde Esplanade, Quay Road Long Stay, Hope Road Long Stay, and Yaverland Long Stay) be explicitly excluded from this suggested initiative to limit the council’s broader budgetary exposure.
- That, in the event of the Council agreeing to such proposed changes, the relevant Policy Finance and Resources Committee and Economy, Regeneration, Transport and Infrastructure Committee overseeing parking infrastructure be instructed to integrate this targeted seasonal tariff amendment and its accompanying funding mechanism into the Council’s current parking strategy.
- That collaborative work be undertaken with Island business networks, Town/Parish Councils, and Chambers of Commerce to launch an island-wide promotional campaign highlighting the proposed initiative.
- That officers compile an impact report at least every year – including footfall data, financial outturn variations, and business feedback – to be presented to both the above committees to evaluate any future seasonal extensions or any other changes recommended by such an impact report.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
