Ayr Parking Consultation

The current parking strategy was formally adopted by South Ayrshire Council in September 2020. The strategy outlines the new approach to parking provision in South Ayrshire.  View the parking strategy (PDF) [7MB]

The strategy is crucial to traffic management, transportation policy, sustainability and the economy, it also plays a significant role when it comes to accessing towns and villages.

This is the first of several public consultations which will take place over the lifetime of the strategy.

The following proposals are based on pre-COVID-19 parking. Any recommendations arising from this consultation will take into consideration the existing parking situation. Further assessments will be undertaken over the coming weeks and months, and these assessments will inform the decision-making process. You can have your say on these proposals by filling out the survey.

Proposals

Pay and Display and Limited Waiting On-Street Parking

Mill Street, Smith Street and Garden Street, are located on the outskirts of the existing pay and display zone.

The existing limited waiting parking bays are no longer fit for purpose. Mill Street and Smith Street are currently subject to a 3 hour limited stay which is considered too long. The nearby shops and businesses would be better served by a quicker turnover of available parking spaces.

Limited waiting restrictions also demand considerable resources to effectively monitor compliance. By converting these spaces to pay and display with a 2-hour maximum stay, there will be a quicker turnover of spaces and enforcement will be easier.

Garden Street which also has limited waiting parking bays is currently subject to a 1 hour limited stay. Given its location and the type of premises these bays serve, we consider that the maximum length of stay should be extended to 3 hours and the bays be converted to pay and display.

Within George Street, River Street and River Terrace, existing pay and display parking is provided with a maximum stay of 2 hours. We think the maximum length of stay should be extended to 3 hours.

The proposed tariff for these locations would be the same tariff which applies across the town (£0.50/30mins).

Map 1 - Pay and Display Zones (PDF) [1MB]

Off-Street Parking

Charges currently apply within the Charlotte Street, Barns Crescent and Kyle Street Car Parks, however, there are numerous other council car parks which are not currently subject to charges or time restrictions. This results in many of these facilities operating beyond capacity with little or no turnover or spaces throughout the day.

A more integrated approach to managing off-street parking is recommended in order to ensure a fully consistent approach.

It is proposed that we introduce parking charges in order to properly manage the following car parks (subject to further checks on car park status):

Permit Parking

There are numerous types of permit parking arrangements which operate within Ayr. Much of the existing Ayr residents parking scheme has not been modified since its introduction in 1971. Many permits are still issued for a nominal £0.50, and there could be misuse especially in terms of visitor permits.

The scheme requires modernisation to reflect current standards and ensure fairness for all. The new proposals would remove resident only exclusivity and reduce administration costs by introducing virtual permits. 

There are further issues concerning parking availability for business owners, window cleaners, carers etc, in and around the town centre, including the high street. There is currently no permit scheme in place to suit their needs and there are historic issues caused by indiscriminate parking in streets close to the Ayrshire College campus.

These issues can be addressed through the introduction of a modern permit system which is self-financing. Proposed permit costs should be set, taking into account administration costs, benefits offered in terms of location (e.g. ability to park unrestricted within pay and display bays) and an equitable fee should be charged, if possible, across the council area.

Consideration should also be given to a tiered pricing structure for multiple vehicle households to try and encourage more people to consider alternative forms of transport. These arrangements would help contribute towards the council's aims and aspirations in relation to carbon reductions.

Map 2 - Residents Zones (PDF) [3MB]

The new proposals for permits are as follows:

Residents' Permit Scheme

• Remove certain residents only exclusive streets (and replace with new scheme)
• Review extent of existing residents permit zone and the period of application
• Introduce equitable charging structure

Guest House / Tradesperson Permit Scheme

• Agree suitable price and amount of permits made available annually to individuals / organisations
• Implement a virtual permit system which enables individuals to draw down permits from "virtual wallets".

In addition to amending the existing schemes, we are looking at the introduction of new arrangements at various locations. These proposals are summarised as follows

Area to be known as A4 - In the central area form a new residents parking zone for Bath Place, Cassillis Street, Pavilion Road, Place-de-St.-Germain-en-Laye  and Charlotte Street (Cassillis Street to Esplanade) with operating times 11:00am-6:00pm Mondays to Saturdays allowing unrestricted parking by resident permit holders and on-street charging for non-permit holders priced at 50p for 30 minutes up to a maximum of £3 for all day parking;

Area to be known as B1 - Change existing residents parking 10:00am-5:00pm Monday-Sunday in Ailsa Place - Arran Terrace - Bruce   Crescent - Cromwell Road (between Charlotte Street and Queens   Terrace) -Eglinton Place - Eglinton Terrace - Montgomerie Terrace- Queens Terrace- Seabank Road and the Un-named street linking Eglinton Terrace and Montgomerie Terrace to remain as residents parking but to include 1 hour limited waiting  by non-residents with operating times amended to 11:00am-6:00pm Mondays to Saturdays; To remove from this area, the existing residents only parking from Fairfield Road and replace with 3 hours limited waiting Monday - Saturday 11:00am - 6:00pm; and to remove the existing residents only parking from the laybys serving the Fairfield Park flats.

Area to be known as B2 - Change existing residents parking 10:00am-5:00pm Monday-Sunday in Alloway Park, Barns Park, Barns Crescent and Park Terrace to remain as residents parking but to include 2 hours limited waiting  by non-residents with operating times amended to 11:00am-6:00pm Mondays to Saturdays; 

Area to be known as B3 - Change existing residents parking 10:00am-5:00pm Monday-Sunday in Bellevue Street to remain as residents parking but to include 1 hour limited waiting by non-residents with operating times amended to 11:00am-6:00pm Mondays to Saturdays; 

Area to be known as B4 - Change existing residents parking 10:00am-5:00pm Monday-Sunday in Park Circus and Bellevue Crescent to remain as residents parking but to include 3 hours limited waiting by non-residents with operating times amended to 11:00am-6:00pm Mondays to Saturdays; 

Area to be known as B4 - Propose a change to extend residents parking above to include Bellevue Road and Marchmont Road;

Area to be known as B5 - Form a new residents parking zone for Content Avenue, Fothringham Road and residents of Nos.1-12 Craigie Road with operating times 11:00am-6:00pm Mondays to Saturdays allowing unrestricted parking by resident permit holders and 1 hour limited waiting by non-residents;

Area to be known as B6 - Change existing residents parking 10:00am-5:00pm Monday-Sunday in Ashgrove Street (Dongola Road. to Castlehill Road.)  Dongola Road, Park Circus and St. Andrews Street (Dongola Road to Castlehill Road) to remain as residents parking but to include 3 hours limited waiting by non-residents with operating times amended to 11:00am-6:00pm Mondays to Saturdays; 

Area to be known as B6 - Propose a change to extend residents parking above to include all of Dongola Road, (the part not covered currently is between St. Phillans Avenue and Castlehill Road); all of St. Andrew's Street (the part not covered currently is between Dongola Road and Leslie Crescent); all of Ashgrove Street (the part not covered currently is between Dongola Road and Lothian Road);

Area to be known as B7 - Form a new residents parking zone for Green Street and York Street with operating times 11:00am-6:00pm Mondays to Saturdays allowing unrestricted parking by resident permit holders and 2 hour limited waiting  by non-residents;

Area to be known as B8 - Form a new resident's parking zone for Falkand Park Road, McCall's Avenue (Prestwick Road to Alexandria Terrace) and Union Avenue (Prestwick Road to Alexandria Terrace) with operating times 11:00am-6:00pm Mondays to Saturdays allowing unrestricted parking by resident permit holders and 2 hour limited waiting  by non-residents;

Parking Charges -When Charges Apply

The existing charging periods have been in place since 2012 and were based on established practice dating back to the mid 1990's. Charges currently apply as follows:

• On Street parking Zone A - 8am - 6pm Monday - Friday, 8am - 1pm Saturday
• On Street parking Zone B - 9.30am - 5pm Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 1pm Saturday
• Off Street Car Parks - 24 hours 7 days per week

There is no practical basis to continue with the different charging periods across the town centre and it would be beneficial to the public to adopt a more consistent approach.

South Ayrshire Council's Leadership Panel has proposed that the charging period across all on and off-street pay and display areas should be changed to:

• 11am - 6pm Monday - Saturday

Map 1 - Pay and Display Zones (PDF) [1MB]

Ayr Seafront and the Street Leading off the Esplanade

The Esplanade is a very popular tourist destination given the large expanse of shore frontage and access to local amenities. During the peak season between April and September, the Esplanade is regularly subject to parking over its entire length.

There is an opportunity to create additional parking on the Esplanade north of the Bath Place junction. In 2000 cycle lanes were placed on both sides at the edge of the carriageway and while the carriageway is slightly narrower here than the rest of the Esplanade, the cycle lanes reduce prime seafront parking for locals, visitors and Blue Badge holders.

There are further issues within streets in close proximity to County Buildings. The existing restrictions which apply to these streets are mainly limited waiting restrictions which impose a three hour maximum stay restriction and a 1 hour prohibition of return which are resource intensive to monitor.

Current restrictions are considered to be impractical for workers based in the area, while also failing to address concerns surrounding a lack of provision for resident's parking in the vicinity.

The proposals are;

• Introduce on-street parking charges with a tariff of £0.50 per 30 minutes up to a maximum of £2:00 all day with similar charging periods to the rest of the town on the Esplanade from Blackburn Drive, northwards to its junction with Bath Place from 1st April to 30th September.
• Introduce on-street parking charges with similar charging periods to the rest of the town at a tariff of £0.50 for 30 minutes up to a maximum £3.00 for all day in the following streets:
  • Bath Place
  • Cassillis Street
  • Charlotte Street (between Cassillis Street and the Esplanade);
  • Pavilion Road; and
  • Place-De-Saint-Germain-En-Laye

Map 3 - Esplanade and adjacent streets (PDF) [1MB]

Have your say

Consultation closed Monday 16 August 2021.

On completion, the results and feedback will be collated, and recommendations will be presented to South Ayrshire Council for consideration and approval later in 2021.

Any approved recommendations will require detailed work for the preparation of draft Traffic Regulation Orders which will then be subject to statutory consultation. This part of the process could take up to 6 months, with the implementation phase also taking up to 6 months.

Results

• Consultation Outcome Report Parking (Word doc) [642KB]