FREE parking for those attending Covid vaccination clinics at Weymouth Pavilion has been scrapped.

Free parking has been available on the Weymouth Pavilion car park since the site became a vaccination clinic in February. However, the car park, which is operated by Dorset Council, will no longer be available free of charge to patients as the county prepares for an influx of visitors using the car park as we move into the summer season.

Parking for NHS staff and volunteers helping to run the clinic will continue to be free.

In a statement, a spokesman from Dorset Council said: "Due to the start of the visitor season, unfortunately we are no longer able to offer free parking for people attending Weymouth Pavilion for their Covid vaccination. Everyone using this car park will now need to pay accordingly.

READ MORE: New role for theatre as mass vaccination clinic opens at Weymouth Pavilion

"Parking arrangements for those getting vaccinations are reviewed on a location by location basis. The Pavilion has become a challenging venue for a vaccination clinic as we approach the summer as it is also a key car park for other visitors to the seafront.

"If the car park remained for the exclusive use of those getting vaccinations, we would quickly see traffic issues along the seafront with significant numbers of visitors’ vehicles being spoken to by clinic volunteers, and/or turned away and having to find alternative parking in the area, potentially causing problems as passing places and roads become blocked.

"Alternatively, if we sectioned off part of the car park for those getting their jab, we would not have the resources to enforce and manage which motorists are parking for leisure and which are attending the clinic. If we made the car park free for everyone, visitors would likely park for the day and there wouldn’t be any spaces left for those getting vaccinated.

"Now that the Pavilion car park is likely to be busy for the next few months, those getting their Covid jabs are advised to plan ahead and allow more time to find parking if driving to the clinic. An area will continue to still be available for NHS staff and volunteers helping to run the clinic to park for free."