Concerns as free parking trial granted
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PLANS to trial free short-term parking in Inverness city centre have been approved, despite misgivings by some councillors.
Members of Highland Council’s city of Inverness area committee yesterday approved the plan to pilot the scheme for a year, offering drivers up to 15 minutes of free parking in on-street pay and display spaces.
It was a move that had been spearheaded by Inverness Business Improvement District (Bid) supported by the Inverness Courier’s Park the Charges campaign, on the basis that it could encourage greater footfall in the city centre.
The plans will see parking meters being altered to issue free tickets, at a cost of £1700, and will cover on-street spaces only as council officers argued that extending it to city centre car parks would not be practical.
At yesterday’s meeting Inverness Central councillor Bet McAllister raised concerns she had aired previously about whether 15 minutes is practical.
"I do support the free parking, but I’m concerned that 15 minutes is not long enough," she said. "We don’t have many Usain Bolts living in Inverness.
"It's fine for people just nipping in and out but what about people with disabilities, mobility issues or parents trying to take prams in and out of cars?"
In reply Shane Manning, the council’s principal officer for traffic and parking, said 15 minutes had been accepted as a "fair amount".
He said: "It serves the purpose and does not have too much impact on pay and display income."
A similar trial was recently concluded in Perth with Perth and Kinross Council subsequently deciding to make it permanent.
