With recent rises in some public car parks ahead of the busy tourist areas, Dorset Council is urging drivers to check the cost benefits of its permits.

The cost of the council's permits has been frozen this year, with the Short Stay and Flexi car park permits offering savings for residents and workers.

Short Stay 

Two hours parking every day in most of the council's car parks.

Cost: £78 a year

How the savings add up:

If used for 2 hours a week = £1.50 a time

If used for 2 hours daily = just over 21p a time

Apply online for the short stay permit

Flexi  

For residents, businesses and workers. Unlimited parking (or up to the maximum stay permitted by the car park) in the majority of the council's car parks seven days a week.

Cost: £25 if purchased for a month, or £260 for 12 months, the equivalent of £5 a week for all-day, year-round parking.

Apply online for the flexi car park permit

While the council has introduced seasonal increases at car parks in busy resort and seafront areas, prices for tickets in other nearby car parks have not increased.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council's portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: "With rising inflation over the past year, the cost of running and maintaining our car parks has increased significantly.

"We have strived to minimise the impact on residents and businesses, keeping tariffs in car parks outside busy seafront areas at last year's prices.

"Furthermore, our money-saving permit costs have been frozen. In these challenging times, where the cost of living is on the rise, we urge anyone who regularly uses our car parks, even if it's just once a week, to explore the suitability of a permit."

As well as freezing the price of permits, overnight free parking remains between 6pm and 8am, Monday to Sunday (unless otherwise specified as 24 hours).

A paper parking permit is available for people without access to a smart phone or other online services, telephone 01305 221000 for details.