PRE-BOOKABLE car park spaces during the Christmas period is just one of things that could be rolled out as the district council looks set to extend its parking contacts.

The two current contracts are due to expire in October 2014 but St Albans district council is considering extending them for up to five years.

At a cabinet meeting last week it was agreed in principle that National Car Parks Limited (NCP) would continue to operate all council-owned car parks except Westminster Lodge and Civic Centre car parks which are managed directly by the council.

It was also decided, subject to final terms being agreed, that the car parking enforcement contract for on and off-street parking held by NSL Service Limited (NSL) would also be extended.

Cllr Beric Read, portfolio holder for localism and community engagement at the council, said as part of the negotiations, parking charges and how to make greater use of parking technologies would be discussed with the contractors.

He went on: “The contract extension process is throwing out some interesting ideas, in particular how we can work with NCP to make better use of our car parks. It’s also given us an opportunity to address the improvements suggested by the council’s car park contract working party.”