Free parking offer for covid vaccine recipients

Residents driving into Blackburn or Darwen to get their coronavirus vaccination will be able to park for free in various sites across the borough, the Council has announced.

From Monday, January 18th several Council-owned car parks will be allocated by the local authority to support the roll out of the NHS’s vaccination programme.

Car parks include: 

Simmons Street – this has been allocated as a free car park for anyone using the vaccination centre based within Barbara Castle Way Health Centre.

Weir Street and Penny Street – these have been allocated as free car parks for anyone using the vaccination centre based within Blackburn Cathedral.

Bank Bottoms – this has been allocated as a free car park for anyone using the vaccination centre based in Darwen Health Centre. The Council has also made Darwen Leisure Centre car park available with the centre currently closed.  

Marshalls in operation on the sites will check if anyone parking there is going for a vaccination and ensure no tickets are handed out.

Councillor Mohammed Khan, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

The vaccination programme is ramping up locally and Blackburn Cathedral’s crypt will be opening on Monday (January 18) as the first mass vaccination site in Lancashire. We want to do everything we can to support the efforts of our NHS partners and help our residents get their vaccine. We hope offering free parking in key locations will make attending appointments as easy as possible.