Parking restrictions will be relaxed across Cambridge to support key workers and deliveries in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Free multi-storey parking will be available to key workers and volunteers travelling to work to provide essential services.

The relevant organisations employing key workers and volunteers will receive codes from the city council to allow access to the car parks.

Parking restrictions enforced by the county council, including residents’ parking zones, will also be suspended to allow for easier deliveries and to support key workers.

The county council said parking wardens will still be working and it will maintain a “skeleton staff to deal with dangerous parking”.

The changes announced by both Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council will be introduced from Monday (March 30).

Cambridge City Council said it would review its policy after one month, and the county council said it would review its decision on a weekly basis.

The councils have stressed the flexibility is to support the government’s advice for people to stay at home, while supporting key workers and volunteers and allowing them to maintain social distancing.

Leader of the city council, Cllr Lewis Herbert, said: “We are in unprecedented times and by making our car parks free for key workers, including NHS staff, we are helping them to keep the most critical services running.

“All Cambridge residents need to follow strictly the government ‘Stay at Home’ advice for their and their family’s safety. They should also ensure that they and their whole families adhere to essential guidance on social distancing at all times, plus hygiene and hand washing advice.

“People who may be volunteering to help support vulnerable people, along with those working in health services and other public services, need all the support available to do their essential work and we will help them wherever we can.”

Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, Cllr Steve Count, said: “We have taken these steps with the city council to try and help critical workers during this unprecedented time.

“We want to make sure critical services can continue to operate and we hope by suspending parking enforcement, keeping the roads flowing for emergency vehicles and essential deliveries to food shops and pharmacies this will make it easier.

“We want our streets not to be cluttered with badly parked cars and allow customers to park for essential visits e.g. near food shops, the hospital and pharmacies. We also need to consider the safety of the traffic officers based on the latest government guidance.”