Faro council has made a further 73 car parking spaces free to use, but Tavira has gone one better.
The goal of the Faro measure, unsurprisingly, is "to improve the parking in the city centre" starting in the middle of November on the Avenida Eng Joaquim Lopes Belchior off the Largo de São Francisco.
"Cars may now park along the northern edge of this road," and the council will start marking out the free slots this coming week.
Over in Tavira all on-street car parking fees have been suspended as the row between the council and the car parking concession holder has resulted in a whole new deal being sought by the council.
The 'free to park' opportunity started last Friday to the cheery delight of shoppers and visitors but is not part of any new policy by the council which still views car parking revenue as a positive thing, despite shoppers and diners who refuse to use the city due the car parking fees that are charged.
Tavira council subcontracted the collection of car parking fees and maintenance of the parking ticket dispensers in 2000, but "because of a default, the council moved forward with the termination of the contract.”
The council does warn that this “free ride” will not last forever, because its "municipal services are, at this stage, arranging for the opening of a new public tender for granting the supply, installation and operation of metered parking in parking zones."
Thus, the service will be suspended only "until the conclusion of the new contract" which, based on past performance of Tavira’s speed of negotiation, may be in several years’ time. In the meantime, previously irritated shoppers may return and the restaurants will benefit from customers enjoying a leisurely meal without worrying about their parking ticket running out of time.
