A plan to make parking in council car parks free for the first two hours is set to come into effect from September.
The plan had been to do it earlier in the year, but due to Covid-19 the district council decided to make parking free indefinitely.
Now, the council has said it will re-introduce parking charges from September, but only for people who have parked for more than two hours.
It is hoped the move will help bring more people into town centres to help with the economic recovery from the pandemic.
The move, which is expected to cost the council around £25,000 this year, and around £42,000 next year in lost income.
It will affect 11 car parks across the borough.
There are three in Hucknall: Market Place; Piggins Croft and Yorke Street.
Four are in Kirkby: Market Yard; Ellis Street; Hodkinson Road and Festival Hall.
The remaining four are in Sutton: Stoney Street; New Street; Market Place and Sherwood Place.
A council report on the change, expected to be approved next week, says: “The order (to change the rules) was due to be advertised at car parks during March and April but this process was put on hold when parking charges were suspended during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“During this period it has become apparent that town centres will require additional support due to the short-term effects of the closure of non-essential retail from late March until June 15 and the longer-term effects caused by a potential acceleration of online shopping, the existing and predicted increases in unemployment and reduced consumer confidence and spending.
“During lockdown it has been reported nationally that local independent businesses which were able to remain open have seen a rise in sales and support from local communities.
“It is an ideal opportunity to build on this support through promoting a ‘shop local’ message.
“A campaign to support our local high streets was launched in mid-June and will continue throughout the summer.
“The new Parking Order is currently being advertised in car parks for the mandatory six week period.
Until the new charges come into force (on September 7), parking will remain free in all council car parks across the district.
“Extending the free parking period beyond June 2020 which was the previously approved period will reduce car parking income by circa £25,000.
“Based on the last full year usage of town centre car parks from 2018/19, providing two hours free parking would reduce income by approximately 26 percent or £42,700.
“Free parking promotions during the Christmas period have been very popular in the past two years and increasing the free period from one to two hours is likely to be very well received by traders and the public.
“Although the reduction in income will need to be offset elsewhere in the council’s budget, there is an urgent need to support town centres and businesses through a very challenging time and to provide longer-term incentives to attract people to the town centres.”
