Key Workers Free Parking to End in Barking & Dagenham

Free parking for key workers will end in Barking and Dagenham on April 1.

The NHS staff and other essential workers have been able to park for free in the borough since March last year, however as lockdown restrictions have started to ease, all residents will be expected to start paying for parking again from the 1st April 2021.

Key workers in Barking and Dagenham will receive discounted permits and there will also be special permits for commercial care agency staff and for the voluntary sector.

Councillor Margaret Mullane, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety said, “Doctors, nurses, teachers and frontline staff are just some of the heroes that have kept us safe and ensured that services have continued throughout the pandemic and they fully deserve all our thanks.

“As soon as lockdown kicked in, we wanted their focus to be on their job and looking after themselves – that’s why we brought in the free parking permits.

“It was the least we could do, and I’m so glad that so many took up the offer.

“With the roadmap out of lockdown, and as life starts to get back to normal, council services too will have to change again.”

Residents of Barking and Dagenham who currently have a free permit will be able to use it until midnight Wednesday 31 March, but they will need to apply and pay for a new key worker permit by Thursday 1 April.

LBBD says they will keep the situation in review, in case tighter coronavirus restrictions return.