Cut-price parking trial period extended

PUBLIC support for Kirkcaldy’s cut-price parking trial will be crucial to sustaining the town centre, it has been claimed.

Lang Toun shoppers will enjoy cheaper parking until 2018 after Fife Council agreed to grant a six-month extension to the initiative.

It means visitors to the town centre will continue to enjoy two hours of parking for just £1, a move that has already proved to have increased customer numbers in the traditional shopping precinct.

Despite the success of the scheme, Bill Harvey, manager of local BID group Kirkcaldy 4 All, said it is crucial the public continue to support the town centre.

“I’m delighted that Fife Council has decided to continue with the trial,” he said.

“It is impacting on the town centre and I would encourage people to make the best use of the parking trial.”

The trial was introduced in September 2015 as part of a bid to support business in the town’s traditional shopping precinct, which has struggled to compete with the Fife Central Retail Park on the town’s northern edge where shoppers can park for free.

In March, the scheme was continued until the end of June, despite council officers stating the trial was being heavily subsidised from local budgets.

A further six-month extension has now been granted until the end of 2017.