New blue badge parking bays to open in city centre

The parking bays will open along Gower Street from Friday

New and improved blue badge parking bays are set to open in Derby city centre.

The city council said the 15 bays with "improved accessibility" would be available along Gower Street from Friday.

Meanwhile, the bays along St Peter's Street will close permanently from 16 January once the Gower Street bays are finished.

The authority said by closing these bays, work could begin on "exciting improvements" to "reduce congestion and pollution by making it easier and safer for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and public transport to travel in the area".

Councillor Steve Hassall, cabinet member for regeneration, decarbonisation, strategic planning and transport, said: "These works are part of a wider project to deliver better transport choices for Derby and improve accessibility in the city centre for everyone.

"Whilst we will have had to remove the blue badge bays on St Peter’s Street to do this, we will be replacing them with much improved bays on Gower Street."

The work, which is part of the government-funded Transforming Cities programme, is expected to be completed by the summer.