Council’s u-turn on street parking plans
Plans to ditch street parking spaces and create more room for walking and cycling are set to be scrapped in Prestwick.
A consultation is underway on how to use £510,000 funding to make it easier for people to socially distance due to Covid-19.
Proposals include the widening of footpaths and suspension of on-street parking as part of the Sustrans Spaces for People programme.
The changes were due to be rolled out in Prestwick Main Street, Maybole High Street, Troon’s Portland Street, Dalrymple Street in Girvan and Ayr.
But they will not happen in Prestwick it is now understood.
Prestwick councillor Hugh Hunter said: “It was an illthought out suggestion in the first place.
“There was extreme concern not just about the loss of parking spaces in general but also the loss of disabled spaces outside the 65 club.”
The Conservative politician added: “When the portfolio holder (Councillor Ian Cochrane) revealed to Prestwick Community Council that the Ayrshire Roads Alliance were not going ahead with the Spaces for People proposal in the town, I along with the vast majority of Prestwick residents were delighted.
“It appears to be a universally popular decision.”
Other Spaces for People ideas include banning cars from Ayr Esplanade and improving safety at schools.
Councillor Hunter said SNP councillor Ian Cochrane who is in charge of the council’s environment portfolio recently revealed Spaces for People would not go-ahead in Prestwick.
Councillor Cochrane has
been contacted for comment but he did not get back to us as we reached our deadline,
Then, when asked to confirm if the plans had been scrapped, a council spokesman said: “The investigation of various temporary measures including
any in Prestwick are part of the Spaces for People initiative which is still ongoing.”
And he added this week: “Proposals will hopefully be finalised and available for public comment early in the New Year.”