CAR parking charges in Eastleigh’s Swan Centre have been scrapped in the evenings.

From Tuesday evening there will no longer be a charge to park in Eastleigh’s Swan Centre car parks from 6pm.

The aim of the move is to give people the opportunity to park for free as they enjoy a range of town centre leisure facilities.

A statement from the borough council said it is "committed to regenerating town centres and encouraging a thriving local economy and believes that, by ceasing parking charges after 6pm, it will help the town centre respond to growing competition and help the leisure businesses to thrive".

Free parking in the Swan Centre will apply every evening from 6pm and is for both the ground floor and upper level parking in the Swan Centre car parks. Cabinet lead for the Economy, Cllr Derek Pretty, said: "It will give visitors a more affordable evening out and we hope that more people will come and enjoy all that the town centre has to offer in the evening."