Have your say! Ayr Parking Consultation

Ayrshire Roads Alliance, on behalf of South Ayrshire Council, has just launched a parking consultation for Ayr.

The consultation, which is open until Monday 16 August, looks at everything from on-street and off-street parking, to residential permits.

Some of the rules have not been updated since the 1970's so this is an ideal opportunity to implement a modern scheme, which is fairer and supports businesses, residents and visitors.

Current charging periods for on-street parking are either from 8am - 6pm Monday - Friday; 8am - 1pm Saturday; or 9:30am - 5pm Monday - Friday; 9:30am - 1pm Saturday, and 24 hours 7 days per week for off-street car parks.

New proposals would see charging for all on-street and off-street parking run from 11am - 6pm Monday - Saturday.

Under the proposals, parking bays on Mill Street and Smith Street would become pay and display, with a maximum 2 hour stay instead of the existing 3 hours. This would help the turnover of over spaces and could encourage more people to pop into Ayr Town Centre.

Pay and display would also be introduced on the Esplanade from Blackburn Drive, northwards to its junction with Bath Place, from 1 April to 30 September. The charge would be 50p per 30 minutes and £2.00 to park all day.

Plans also include introducing car park charges, which would encourage the turnover over of spaces throughout the day. Currently, parking charges only apply in Charlotte Street, Barns Crescent and Kyle Street. Under the proposals Blackburn Esplanade; Mill Brae; New Road (Tam's Brig); Riverside Place; Citadel Leisure Centre; Queens Terrace Lane; Kings Court; Castlehill; and Cromwell Road would all charge 50p for a 30 minute stay and £2.00 to park all day, with the exception of the Citadel which would charge £3 for an all day stay.

Virtual permits could be introduced for residential parking, with pay and display areas for non-residents to help free up more spaces. Permits could also be introduced to allow tradespeople to park and then work in Ayr Town Centre. The cost of the permits would take into consideration location and administration costs.

Councillor Ian Cochrane, Environment Portfolio Holder for South Ayrshire Council said: "Some fundamental changes are being proposed, so it's vital that residents have their say. Parking charges are never popular, but they do free up spaces, and this should encourage people back into the high street to the benefit of retailers. We also want to promote more sustainable forms of travel, so these proposals may encourage people to walk, cycle or take public transport more often."

To comment on the proposals visit www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/consultations
The consultation ends at 5pm on Monday 16 August