MOTORISTS can still park for free on an evening in a City of York Council car park, the Evening Press can reveal today.

The authority may have slapped controversial charges of up to £1.60 an hour to park between 6pm and 9pm at most city centre parks.

But at the little-known Peel Street car park, alongside St George's Roman Catholic Church between Walmgate and Piccadilly, the charges end at 6pm. After that, it is completely free.

The availability of this car park could provide a minor boost to restaurants and other evening businesses in nearby Fossgate and Walmgate, who have been hit by a combination of evening charges, on-street charges and double yellow lines.

However, judging by the small numbers parking there last night, not many people know about it - or at least they didn't until they picked up tonight's paper!

The council says that the new evening charges could not be imposed at Peel Street because it is only operated by the authority rather than owned, with the site being rented from the Roman Catholic diocese of Middlesbrough.

Peter Evely, head of highways, said that under an agreement with the diocese, charges could not be imposed after 6pm, nor on Sundays. This was the only council-operated car park in the city centre where this situation arose.

He was not aware of any attempt by the authority to change that arrangement.

However, motorists should be aware that the jamboree may not last forever.

Under the local plan, the site is eventually scheduled for redevelopment, but it will be down to the diocese to determine when that will happen.

When the Evening Press visited the 76-space car park last night motorists were hardly swarming to take advantage.

There were a total of eight vehicles there at 6pm, with about 25 at 8.20pm and 20 at 9pm.

We spotted graduate Alastair Smith, 21, checking out the Peel Street charges. He did not park his car there last night - but said he would now he knew it was free after 6pm.

He said: "Parking is an absolute nightmare in York. I live in Tang Hall Lane and always have to walk in or get a bus.

"Parking charges are too much, but this place could be overflowing tomorrow night."

Bizarrely, the council has put up a sign in the Peel Street car park urging motorists to make savings on evening parking fees.

The sign invites people using the car park at night to buy a Frequent Users' Pass... and save money, despite the fact it costs nothing at Peel Street.

Updated: 10:41 Wednesday, July 14, 2004