Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet has agreed changes to off street parking charges at its meeting on Monday 7 September 2026, to include one hour of free parking per visit across all 67 Council owned car parks across the county.
Following an initial one hour period of free parking, town centre car parks in Llanelli and Carmarthen will incur a fee of £2 for 2 hours, £3 for 3 hours or £4 for all day. Car parks in Ammanford and the county’s rural towns will incur a £2 charge after the first hour for up to 3 hours, or £2.50 for all day. These fees will remain frozen for the next three years.
As part of the strategy, discounted tickets for two days or more will support those regularly using town centre car parks, while free Town Council parking days will be removed.
The agreed strategy has been developed following a review of off street car parking provision which considered usage patterns, occupancy, financial performance, free parking and enforcement. The review identified a significant need for short stay parking to support easier access to town centres, local businesses and essential services, whilst encouraging more frequent visits and supporting economic activity across Carmarthenshire’s communities.
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services, Cllr Edward Thomas, said:
“The revised off street parking strategy will provide a simple, fair and accessible system for parking across Carmarthenshire, which includes an hour of free parking per visit.
By providing an hour of free parking, we are making it easier for residents and visitors to access our town centres and rural communities, whether they are shopping locally, visiting businesses, attending appointments, accessing public services or supporting local attractions.
This approach recognises the important role that our town centres play in the local economy and will help encourage increased footfall, support local businesses and create vibrant, accessible places for people to live, work and visit. Alongside the County Council’s ongoing investment in active travel and sustainable transport links, these changes will provide people with greater choice in how they access services, employment, retail and leisure destinations across the county.”
The strategy aligns with national, regional and local policy, including the Wales Transport Strategy and the National Transport Delivery Plan, the South West Wales Regional Transport Plan (RTP), and Carmarthenshire’s Local Development Plan (LDP) and Corporate Strategy.
What a load of crap… Carms town has had it for years….
That one is free all the time( at the moment), old photo that the CoOp is opposite , they need to get some cash to sort out the old car park, you take your life in your hands with that one,
Won’t help hr not long enough
These useless tossers give nothing away
Reg Handyman Someone has to cover the expenditure, any suggestions.
Should be same price as Ammanford.
One reason people go to Trostre to shop is because of free parking (all day). How about giving that a try in a serious attempt to bring people into the town centre?
Paul Hughes free parking all day? Thought it was 3hrs
Paul Hughes it’s free for three hours, not all day in trostre.
Leighton Ryan Williams sorry, I assumed it was free because I have never seen a pay booth there.
Wow, we will all get rich, how much have they fleeced us for , for years.
Tony Quaglia Change of Administration to Plaid and funding and that is progress where we can. Support for business employees and a better outlook for the economy. We can not make it free as to costs against the budget.
An hour isn’t really long enough. I only go into Llanelli town to go to Specsavers and I’d rarely be in and out in that time. Certainly wouldn’t be able to go into any other shop so would have to pay for 2 hours in case I was late. All hype and not really going to help regenerate our towns.
Pat Powell The cost then would be less than a cup of coffee in most places ?
It’s all a con, they’ve cut back the free hours available. And the prices have gone up
Dean Westcott The car park charges have gone up after what 10 years? I think to cover costs but it has also made it fairer for people. What do you suggest? How is the county going to cover expenditure and who should pay.
Terry Davies i see the point you are trying to make but the car parks don’t eat or drink what is the costs to cover when you go back to the 70s the only place you would pay is the multi store car park why have we got to where people have to pay for everything take the beach for example always was free the two car parks now everyone has to pay we all pay council tax Carmarthenshire one of the highest I believe we get nothing but cut backs look at what the council is doing with the bin collections you are expecting us to do someone’s else job we pay for, the grass has only been cut once this year in my opinion we get no value for money.