CHRISTMAS shoppers have been boosted with the announcement of a free fortnight of festive parking in the borough.

Last week, the Echo told how the big players behind this year’s Christmas Festival – the Eastgate Centre, Basildon Council and Basildon Town Centre Management – had revealed all their town centre car parks would be free for the lights switch-on on this Saturday.

Now the council has got further into the festive spirit by announcing two weeks of free parking in the hope of encouraging thousands more shoppers to Billericay, Basildon, Wickford and Laindon.

From Monday, December 16, to Sunday, December 29, the council will open the following car parks for free: Behind Wickford High Street; Wickford Ladygate Centre and Wickford swimming pool; High Street and Radford Crescent, Billericay and behind Basildon’s Towngate Theatre.

John Dornan, Basildon councillor for the environment, said: “This is a bonus for shoppers, the local community and our businesses to help boost the local economy.

“I’ve also written to other car park operators in the borough to follow the lead of Eastgate and Basildon Town Centre Management, who are offering free parking for the lights switch-on, by offering free parking in the runup to Christmas.

“We want to support our residents and businesses and give people the opportunity to shop over the festive period.”

Council leader Tony Ball said: “Free festive parking has been an overwhelming success in the past. We hope this will once again attract shoppers from outside of the area and boost the local economy.”

The Christmas offer does not cover on-street parking.