Shoppers will enjoy two hours of free parking on Saturdays and a pay-by-phone option under a new scheme to boost business.

Gravesham council bosses said the approach, which includes a new-two hour tariff on weekdays, will benefit everyone and bring more people into the town centre.

Drivers will have free parking in pay and display council-run car parks in Parrock Street, Rathmore Road, West Street, the market and Horn Yard.

A weekday two-hour tariff will aim to make parking cheaper for those who want to stay for longer than the minimum time of an hour.

Currently the only option after an hour is to stay for three hours but council research showed that three quarters of motorists did not want to stay for this long.

The pay-by-phone option is run by a company called Parkmobile and will cost motorists 20p per transaction to use. However, ticket machines will also still be available.

Council leader Cllr John Cubitt (Con) said: “We have studied the situation closely and have devised a scheme which we believe will most benefit both shops and shoppers.

“A free two-hour window is the best solution and will encourage more motorists into town across the whole day on Saturdays as well as cheaper parking for short stay users all week.

“A wide variety of options was considered but this scheme was clearly the best for everyone.”

An offer of free weekend parking was part of the Gravesham Conservatives’ manifesto during the May elections and the group had received criticism by opposition councillors for not bringing in the policy sooner.

However, despite a council report explaining free parking may have in fact led to a decrease in the town centre’s footfall, the council has delivered on its promise.

It now hopes to introduce the new scheme by November in time for a glut of shoppers rushing into town to get gifts for Christmas.

Cllr Steve Thompson (Lab), who represents Central ward and is the shadow councillor for business and development, said his party was not satisfied with the parking scheme announcement.

He said: "We're concerned that this news has been released to the press prior to it being given to the opposition and also when our leader is away on holiday.

"We also haven't seen a report from any council members saying that it will be detrimental to business in the town centre - as it was stated in the past."

Cllr Thompson said the free parking allocation was not inline with what the Tories had promised.

He said: "We're concerned that in the Conservatives' manifesto it said that free parking on Saturdays would be "restored" it did not say it would only be for an hour or two."

The parking scheme will be discussed in greater detail at Gravesham council's cabinet meeting at the Civic Centre in Gravesend on September 7.