FREE parking could be returning to Westbury town centre in the hope it will encourage more people to shop locally.

The town council has set aside some of its budget to fund the scheme and will vote whether or not to go ahead with it at its next meeting in March.

It will cost the town council £35,727 a year to secure free parking for two hours in the High Street car park, as they will have to pay car park owners Wiltshire Council what it would expect to receive in parking fees.

Cllr Ian Cunningham said: “The town development group kept going back to Wiltshire Council to ask how much it would be to bring free parking back to Westbury. The first few figures they came with were too high but they then came back with a figure of just over £35,000.

“Of course we realise it’s not a small sum of money but it’s certainly reasonable. It will be decided on at a town council meeting in March and could be implement in early April.”

Cllr Cunningham, chairman of the Town Improvement Group, hopes the scheme will revitalise the struggling town centre.

“We know not everyone wants to park in the town centre but everyone wants to see the town centre survive,” he added.

“Nearby towns such as Trowbridge and Frome have areas of free parking whereas it’s nigh on impossible to just nip into Westbury for a short while, so I can understand why people opt to head out of town instead.

“Hopefully this will encourage people to head into Westbury town centre. We see it as one of the best ways to help businesses flourish.”

The scheme, if it is approved by councillors, will monitor its success by asking business owners if they notice an increase in customers - and could not be continued if they find it does not have the desired effect.

Town clerk Deborah Urch said she expects councillors to vote in favour of the scheme, as they have already agreed to set the money aside.

Free parking for one hour was last available in the town in 2015.