COUNCIL chiefs have backed the Government’s calls to provide NHS staff with free parking during the Coronavirus crisis at all of Wychavon’s car parks across Evesham and Pershore.
As well as free parking for staff at the county’s hospitals, NHS, social care and health workers carrying out essential services will face no charges for the duration of the outbreak, as long as they display evidence of their employment such as ID cards. Waiting restrictions and charges in on-street parking bays will also not apply to such workers.
Shoppers picking up essential items such as food and medicines will also face no charge for the first 30 minutes at all of Wychavon District Council’s car parks as residents adjust to life under lockdown across Evesham and Pershore.
Council leader Coun Bradley Thomas backed the moves and said the council’s decision would help reduce the risk of Coronavirus from payment machines as the COVID-19 virus can often stay on some surfaces.
The announcements brought to an end a dramatic week which has seen normal life grind to a halt and towns such as Evesham and Pershore become deserted as Vale residents heeded the advice of Prime Minister Boris Johnson to stay at home.
Libraries, all shops selling non-essential goods, playgrounds, outdoor gyms and places of worship have closed their doors temporarily.
An estimated 21million people watched the Prime Minister announce the biggest crackdown on British people’s freedom to move around since the war.
Residents are banned from meeting more than another person in public, asked only to leave home to exercise once a day either alone or with another member of the household and work from home unless it absolutely cannot be done from home.
Shopping for basic necessities such as food and medicine will be allowed but must be as infrequent as possible according to the guidelines while people can leave home to meet a medical need or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
This includes moving children under the age of 18 between their parents’ homes, where applicable. Key workers or those with children identified as vulnerable can continue to take their children to school.
All library loans have been extended until further notice to ensure book lovers will not need to renew their books and not run up fines on their borrowed items while libraries across the Vale are closed.
