THERE could be a special Christmas present on the way for Petersfield shoppers if East Hampshire district councillors go ahead with plans to give them free car parking. Members of EHDC's cabinet were set to discuss the plans on Wednesday night, in line with a scheme they ran in Petersfield and Alton town centres last Christmas. Members were due to look at recommendations for free parking in Alton for four hours on Thursday and Fridays on November 30, and December 1, 7, 8, 14 and 15. In Petersfield the free parking is planned for four hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays on November 29 and 30 and December 6, 7, 13 and 14. Facilities manager John Pratt reported that businesses in Petersfield and the Alton Chamber of Commerce and Industry had been consulted before the dates were proposed for the free parking. He recommended that shopkeepers in Alton and Petersfield should be asked to promote the scheme and that a shoppers' survey should be carried out in Petersfield and Alton before and during the free car parking afternoons. Mr Pratt said the surveys were needed to assess whether the free Christmas car parking attracted more people to shop in the towns over the festive period. Mr Pratt said that the effectiveness of the scheme should be looked at early next year to see whether it should be operated in the future. The cost of the scheme, aimed at drawing shoppers to the East Hampshire towns, was £20,000, said Mr Pratt. The loss of income at parking meters in Petersfield and Alton was estimated at £9,000, he reported, with newspaper advertising costing a further £2,800 and signage an additional £700. He said the December footfall surveys and a report would cost another £2,000, marketing £1,000 and the analysis after Christmas would be £3,000. In a report due to go before cabinet members on Wednesday night, Mr Pratt said the Alton Chamber of Commerce had asked for free Christmas car parking last year, as part of a promotion initiative to improve trade. Last year, members had supported this scheme and six free afternoons of car parking were provided in Alton and Petersfield in the three weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday. "A footfall survey was undertaken prior to and during the free car parking. A telephone survey of retailers was carried out early in 2006. The response from retailers was mixed," he said. But it had been agreed that the Christmas promotion scheme would be repeated this year and the costs had been included in the budget.