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A free city centre parking scheme will begin next month after a council approved funding for the project.
Peterborough City Council's cabinet met on Tuesday and members agreed to accept funding of £891,667 from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) to deliver free parking at four council-owned car parks.
Paul Bristow, the Conservative mayor of CPCA, pledged to introduce the policy during his election campaign and last year committed £1.5m in his budget to bring free parking to Peterborough and Huntingdonshire.
From 3 August residents can park for free after 15:00 BST from Monday to Friday in Bishops Road, Car Haven, Riverside and Pleasure Fair Meadow car parks.
The proposal was unanimously approved by the cabinet and the scheme will be trialled until 31 March 2028.
Time-limited trial
The council operates 11 off-street car parks, most of which charge users between 07:00 and 20:00 Monday to Sunday, which generate about £2.7m yearly income for the local authority.
The free parking scheme operation could lead to an estimated income loss of £544,118 per year, the council said.
The CPCA has previously said the scheme would run on a "time-limited trial" and its impact on the town centre would be assessed.
Christian Hogg, a Liberal Democrat councillor, asked the meeting what would happen in two years when the CPCA funding for the scheme ends.
Mohammed Jamil, Labour's cabinet member for finance, said that if there was no further funding the charges would be reinstated at the end of the period.
Katy Cole, a Labour councillor, asked whether the impact on reducing car usage had been considered.
Adrian Chapman, the authority's service director for place and economy, said active travel spending would continue and that the council has a target to spend 50% of its transport budget on active travel schemes.
Bristow has previously said: "Free parking after 15:00 means more people choosing to come into the city for an evening out, to shop, to eat and to support the businesses that make Peterborough worth visiting."
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