Local updates and short reads

Erewash Borough Council is appealing to motorists to stop paying for parking at weekends after drivers handed over more than £12,500 unnecessarily.

Parking is free on Saturdays and Sundays at all car parks operated by the council. However, an analysis of its income showed that about a quarter of motorists were still paying on Saturdays.

Since free parking was extended from Sundays to Saturdays at the beginning of April, drivers have paid £12,577 when no charge was required.

Councillor Curtis Howard, the authority’s lead member for town centres and regeneration, said he was “aghast” when he received the parking data.

To make the arrangement clearer, the council has installed yellow banners informing visitors that they do not need to pay or display a ticket on Saturdays or Sundays.

Charges apply only between 08:00 and 18:00 on weekdays. Motorists pay £1.50 for stays of up to three hours and £4 for longer visits.

Councillor Howard said Saturday parking was made free to help residents save money and to support town-centre businesses on their busiest day of the week.

The council cannot refund motorists who have already paid unnecessarily. Councillor Howard said: “It’s not possible to give refunds to those who have already paid unnecessarily—hence our plea to those parking in Ilkeston or Long Eaton at the weekend: Please do not pay!”

Free Saturday parking is being funded through the council’s £6.5m Erewash Investment Fund and is intended to encourage more people to visit shops and businesses across the borough.

The project will focus on improving the High Street and Tamworth Road, creating a greener, more welcoming space with wider pedestrian areas, new paving, seating, planting and improved public spaces. The aim is to make the town centre a more attractive place to shop, visit and spend time.

The market will return to its historic home in Long Eaton Market Place. New landscaping and seating areas will encourage people to spend more time in the town centre, while public artwork and design features will celebrate Long Eaton's rich furniture-making heritage. A trail honouring renowned artist Dame Laura Knight, who was born in the town, will also form part of the improvements.

The regeneration is funded through the Government-backed Long Eaton Town Deal, which has secured £25 million for projects across the town. The High Street improvements account for £10 million of that investment.

Construction is expected to continue into next year, with work being carried out in phases to minimise disruption. Shops, cafés and businesses are expected to remain open throughout the project, although temporary traffic management and changes to pedestrian routes will be in place.

Erewash Borough Council says the investment is designed to create a more vibrant town centre that supports local businesses while making Long Eaton a more attractive destination for residents and visitors alike.

While there may be some short-term disruption during construction, the completed project aims to deliver a town centre that is easier to navigate, more welcoming and better equipped to support the local economy for years to come.

Children aged 5 to 15 can travel free on trentbarton services from 1 to 31 August 2026 as part of the Government’s free bus travel scheme. The offer excludes red arrow and nightbus journeys.

The East Midlands Combined County Authority has also extended free travel to 16 to 18 year olds on routes that enter Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby or Nottingham. Red arrow is excluded from this extension too.

Mango customers can tap on and off as usual. Other passengers can ask the driver for a free single ticket. Proof of age is required, and children under 11 must travel with a responsible person.