CAR parking charges that have been scrapped since December are set to resume next month across Test Valley, it has been confirmed.

Since Boxing Day Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) suspended parking fees in all of its car parks after health secretary Matt Hancock announced most of Hampshire would be plunged into Tier 4.

The local authority continued to freeze parking charges from January 5, when England was thrown into its third lockdown, to help battle the growing number of coronavirus cases.

Deputy leader for TVBC, Cllr Nick Adams-King, has now confirmed that parking fees will return on April 12 - when pubs and non-essential shops are set to reopen as part of Boris Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown.

He said: "At the moment parking remains free in all Test Valley Borough Council car parks.

"Charging is due to resume on April 12th when the next review of lockdown restrictions is due and non-essential shops are scheduled to re-open.

"If for any reason the restrictions stay in place then we will not re-introduce charging until non-essential shops are allowed to re-open."

He added prices would not increase, so drivers can still pay "£1 for up to two hours in the town centre car parks".

Parking will remain free from 4pm to 8.30am and on Sundays and bank holidays.