Anger at proposed car parking charges

Dec 29 2010 by Colin Paterson, Airdrie & Coatbridge

Car Park

POPULARITY was not being sought by North Lanarkshire’s councillors when they announced that car parking charges would be introduced in town centres.

It hasn’t been found either.

The council’s decision to press ahead with plans to charge motorists for parking appears to have gathered little support from the council’s community tax payers.

Local authority officials hope the revenue-raising scheme will collect £1.1million over three years with £256,000 budgeted for during the 2011-12 financial year.

Charges will be applied to council-run facilities with paying to park in some residential areas also being considered.

In an attempt to clamp down on long-stay workers and commuters using town centres in Airdrie and Coatbridge as informal park and ride stops, planning and transportation committee members approved a consultation exercise in the summer.

On Tuesday, December 14, councillors supported an overall £55m budget cut which included provision for introducing parking charges. But followers of the Advertiser’s Facebook page were unanimous in their condemnation of the council’s car parking charges plan.

“The small businesses in Coatbridge and Airdrie need to take a stand against this,” wrote Tracy Woods.

“This is people’s livelihoods they are going to ruin because people will shop elsewhere. I, for one, would stop shopping in Coatbridge if I was having to pay for parking.

“It’s much easier to head to the Fort or Braehead or Silverburn where there’s a lot more choice in shops. This will drive people out of business and once again it will be a ghost town that will deserve the Carbuncle Award.”

Mary O’Pray echoed Tracy’s sentiments and said: “The shopkeepers in Coatbridge and Airdrie are having a tough struggle trying to keep their customers without this little gem from the council.”

Martin McMahon believes charging for parking is the “wrong thing to do” and predicts town centre businesses will take an unwelcome hit. “Airdrie is terrible at the best of times,” remarked Amanda McCrone.

“This is just going to add fuel to the fire. People will just go elsewhere.”

What do you think of the car parking charges plan? Send your comments to acadvertiser@s-un.co.uk or visit www.facebook.com/acadvertiser and leave your view.acadvertiser@s-un.co.uk or visit www.facebook.com/acadvertiser and leave your view.