Free parking days are to again be offered in Weymouth this Christmas and for some other events – but they could be the last.

Town councillors are being warned that a Dorset Council review of parking later this year may mean an end to the policy from 2020. At the moment concession, or discount days, in the run-up to Christmas are agreed in consultation with Weymouth Business Improvement District (BID), with the town council able to nominate five additional discount days per year.

Two of the five days have already been allocated to help with the Armed Forces Day celebrations on Saturday June 22nd and Sunday June 23rd.

On Tuesday evening the town council’s services committee added the annual beach motor cross on Sunday October 13th to the list – although the concession is expected to be limited to organisers and competitors and restricted to the area around the Pavilion.

The other days suggested were for the Ironman event on Saturday September 21st and Sunday 22nd although Dorset Council will now be asked to see what might have already been agreed with the organisers, before the town council allocates the addtional days.

Cllr Kate Wheller said she hoped the event would stay in the town and said that offering free parking for the organisers and competitors was a price worth paying because of the publicity it brought as well as competitors and their families.

Kevin Brooks said he was mayor when the first Ironman event came to the town and said that the organisers were “bowled over” by the reponse: “If we ever do ever want to change our mind of parking concessions for them we should stop and think what an impact it might have to lose an international brand such as Ironman,” he said.

Cllr Brooks suggested that allowing the events team in Weymouth to have some flexibility on concessionary parking for event organisers often went a long way towards helping events run smoothly – and suggested that should be allowed to continue.

Cllr Ryan Hope warned that this year might be the last when the concessions were available, depending on a review of parking across the whole Dorset Council area which will be carried out later this year.