APPEALS to allow free parking in Ceredigion County Council’s car parks for all four Saturdays in Dec­ember have been rejected.

Cabinet members have approved free parking on the three Saturdays leading up to Christmas – 10, 17 and 24 December.

But traders in Cardigan have been asking for the first Saturday in Dec­ember, 3 December, to also be included.

Cllr John Adams-Lewis said: “Traders feel it helps the businesses and economy of Cardigan. I don’t think that’s asking for too much and that’s what the traders have asked for.”

However, Cllr Alun Williams the council’s Cabinet member for transport, said providing a fourth day seemed like too much of a Christmas present.

He said: “I think we’d be criticised if we left too big a Christmas stocking for one area of the community considering the pressures facing us.”

A council report said providing the three Saturdays for free would be a similar policy to previous years.

Meanwhile, an Aberystwyth car park ticket machine can now accept payments by card as Ceredigion council trials a new machine.

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