Drivers hit hard as parking fees set to rise again

The local authority is proposing a series of fee hikes for 2017/18, with the cost of hiring sporting facilities and using care services in Dundee also set to go up.

Documents seen by the Tele show that drivers will bear the brunt of the changes, if they’re approved, with almost every car park set to become more expensive to use.

That includes a planned new car park at the under-construction railway station, where motorists will be charged £2.60 for up to one hour’s use.

Critics have hit out at the price hikes, which come just a year after similar rises were brought in.

The council’s variable stay car parks, such as the Olympia and Gellatly Street, along with Greenmarket, will see costs rise by between 10p and 20p, depending on the length of stay — a 5% rise in some cases.

Costs will also rise at long-stay car parks, where the cost of parking for between four and 10 hours will go from £8 to £8.20. Monthly tickets here will rise from £90 to £92. All three of Broughty Ferry’s car parks will see rises of 10p across the board. On-street car parking will also be hit by the price hikes, which are proposed as part of the local authority’s 2017/18 budget. A stay lasting up to 20 minutes on streets in the city centre will go up from £1 to £1.10 — a 10% rise — with 10p rises for other lengths of stay. Costs for parking on Perth Road, Dudhope Street, Dudhope Crescent/ Road, Barrack Road, South Victoria Road, Hilltown and Shore Terrace will all rise by 10p per stay. Permits for residents in the city centre will now cost £79, instead of £77, with a permit in the Ferry rising by £1 to £56. The same applies i n Menzieshill, where residents’ permits will rise from £5.50 to £7. West End community council leader Peter Menzies (left) previously spoke of residents being “under attack” over parking prices. He described the latest increases as “lunacy”.

He said: “It is ridiculous — people already don’t use these car parks. We have car parks that are operating at 38% occupancy rates.

“Do they not understand that if they put the price down, more people will use them and then they will make more money? The West End Community Council doesn’t feel like the council is representing the views of residents in the area or the city centre, or visitors to the city.”

Sandro Paladini, secretary of Broughty Ferry Traders’ Association, said: “It strikes us as being distinctly unhelpful that the council should choose to implement a car parking charge rise in the area so soon after the last one.

“It is accepted that it is beneficial to encourage car users to utilise the city’s car parks rather than continuing to encourage congestion by people parking in the street.

“This move seems to be counterproductive to that.

“Shopkeepers and business owners all agree that cost effective parking options are absolutely crucial to the health of the town centre.

“We would ask that the council reconsiders these proposals which would further drive the public to using out-of-town retail parks.”

PARKING charges could rise, burial costs may go up and the price of special waste collections is set to increase as Dundee City Council bids to slash its spending by a staggering £12 million.

Chris Griffiths, 72, from Cupar, said: “I object to having to pay more to park in the city. I know you have to pay for services but it seems parking charges are always going up.”

Claire Walker, 35, from Newport, said: “This is rubbish — that parking prices are going up again. I really object to any further price rises.”

Louise Macfarlane, 40, from Denhead of Gray, said: “It costs so much already to park in Dundee. I pay £90 for a monthly pass and that will likely increase yet again.”