Charging for council owned car parks is being reintroduced on May 17 All council owned car parks in Cornwall which were free of charge to support high streets as they got back to business will be re-introducing charges from next week. The council will keep its car parks free until May 17 to support high streets, as businesses such as non-essential shops, hairdressers and outside hospitality reopen. But from then on charges will be reintroduced. Cornwall Council suspended parking charges at the beginning of lockdown in January to limit the spread of coronavirus and help those working from home find a parking space.