Plan to extend parking charges to 10pm are put on hold

PLANS to extend parking charges in the city centre to 10pm have been put on hold.

The proposals to charge for on- street parking after 6pm were included in the council’s threeyear budget last month.

However, it sparked anger among motorists and business groups who said it would deter customers from coming into the city centre in the evening.

The changes, however, were not going to happen this year as they requires a Traffic Regulation Order and a consultation period - and were likely to be introduced in 2026.

The Glasgow Times understands even that timescale has been abandoned and the extension has effectively been kicked into the long grass.

Earlier this week, Susan Aitken said that the extension was under review having listened to businesses.

Asked what that review means, the SNP at the council said it will be referred back to the crossparty budget group.

An SNP Group spokesperson said: “There’s been an assumption that the standardisation of evening parking charges was being introduced immediately. That was never the case. It had been planned for introduction next year at the earliest.

“But having listened to the concerns of businesses we’re now keeping these charges within the city centre under review and will refer the phasing of its introduction back to the cross- party budget working group.”

The aim of changing the city centre streetscape to one with more space for people and public transport is still the aim.

The spokesperson added: “It’s important to remember though that the rebalancing of city centre streets is part of a longerterm direction of travel, as set out in the cross- party supported City Centre Travel Plan.”

It has been noted that the city has more parking on- street parking spaces than Edinburgh and other similar- sized UK cities.

That however is expected to change with the avenues programme and other alterations in the coming years reducing car parking bays.

The spokesperson said: “But in keeping the city centre evening parking charges under review we’ve time to make the thousands of affordable car park spaces across the city centre a much more attractive proposition.

“And crucially, it gives businesses more time to adapt to the changes taking place in Glasgow and in many of our comparator cities.”