CAR parks in Bracknell town centre will not see their prices increase for at least another year.

Six car parks (including three multi-storey car parks) will be available to use from £1.40 for the first hour.

Councillor Marc Brunel-Walker, executive member for economic development and regeneration, said: “We know that car parking charges play an important part in people’s decision to visit a town centre, so to continue to make The Lexicon as popular as it has been, we have agreed to freeze car parking charges at The Avenue, Braccan Walk, High Street, Weather Way, Wick Hill and Albert Road car parks for the next year.

“Although the council will have to pay additional leasing costs at The Avenue, we are keen not to pass that back to our shoppers and visitors so that they can continue to enjoy visiting The Lexicon at no extra cost.

“This is our extra birthday present to everyone who has used one of our town centre car parks to visit and support The Lexicon since it opened a year ago!”

The council’s regeneration committee voted on Monday,10 September to keep costs down, rejecting an alternative option to increase prices by up to 30p an hour.

This decision was made despite a report produced for the council noting that their car parks “face competition from the 2 hours free parking in the Point and 1½ hours free parking at Waitrose.”

The car park price freeze comes just days after it was announced that shops TK Maxx and Diechmann, as well as Gymfinity Kids will move into the Lexicon soon.

Bracknell Forest Council claim 16 million shoppers visited The Lexicon in its first year since opening.