DRIVERS are going to be asked to pay as much as £500 for parking at a major stadium after the long-running free parking policy was scrapped.
Under new government plans, restrictions will also be imposed on car parks outside a major university and sports centre.
The rules could soon be enforced as part of an amendment to a 2021 parking order currently under consultation.
The move would create a two-tier system of parking permits, divided into classes A and B.
Class A permits will cost £537.50 plus VAT, while Class B will remain free of charge but can only be accessed by certain people.
This would mark the first time drivers had been charged for parking at The Bowl in Douglas, the national stadium of the Isle of Man.
The island, which sits in the Irish Sea, is part of the British Isles and is a crown dependency but has its own government and laws.
Now, the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) is looking to crack down on commuter parking and vehicle abandonment at the ground.
Anyone looking to stop at The Bowl will be required to purchase an annual Class A permit
These are primarily targeted at motorists who leave cars there to park and ride or walk back into central Douglas.
The rules will be enforced from 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday so shouldn’t affect match days, much to the delight of Isle of Man FC’s fans.
Visitors can also use free two-hour parking discs for the car park, which will be enforced during the same hours.
Elsewhere, there will be new rules for the car parks around the National Sports Centre (NSC) and University College Isle of Man (UCM) to reduce overnight parking.
However, there are some exceptions as UCM students and anyone using the NSC in a professional capacity will be able to receive Class B permits free of charge.
The consultation for locals to share their views closes today, with the changes set to be imposed on October 1 if all goes well.
A spokesperson for the DESC said: “Under the proposed order, the disc zone will still apply.
“However parking permits will be charged for.
“For general use of the Bowl at evening and weekends, customers of the NSC and the Bowl will see no change, and can park free of charge.”
“The main NSC car park is available to customers free of charge all day.”
