Shopkeepers are set to benefit from a boost in trade thanks to a reduction in the cost of on street parking.

Councillors gave the go ahead to plans to cut on street parking charges and extending the current maximum length of stay at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday April 17.

Street parking currently costs 20p for one hour’s stay, £1.40 for up to one-and-a-half hours stay, and £2 for a maximum of two hours stay.

But as part of the changes, on street charges will be the same as council car parks outside Romford.

This means that drivers will be charged 20p for the first two hours or 50p for three hours.

The maximum length of stay will also be extended from two hours to three.

Cllr Barry Tebbutt, Cabinet member for streetcare said that it would be a massive boost for the high street.

He said: “It is to enhance business opportunity and to make better use of parking facilities in difficult financial times.”

Clarence Barrett, the leader of the Havering Residents’ Association welcomed the proposals.

He said: “For a long time, we have been talking about the importance of affordable parking and for a moment when I saw this, I thought that it was one of ours.”