End of all day free parking in Paisley
Charges to return ... but Free for Three restarts
Drivers will have to fork out cash to park in Paisley for the first time since the start of the pandemic after councillors agreed to bring back charges.
Buddies and visitors to the town have enjoyed being able to leave their vehicles in town centre council car parks for free all day since last March.
But charges will return on Monday in an effort to stop workers taking up spaces from early in the morning to later at night.
The Free for Three scheme will, however, be relaunched next week too, so drivers can park their vehicles without paying in certain places for three hours.
The initiative will be brought back to the six car parks it was being piloted in from next week and two more at the Lagoon leisure centre will be added later this month.
But, during a meeting of the infrastructure board, some elected members claimed all council car parks should be part of the scheme.
Paisley Northeast and Ralston councillor Neill Graham tabled an amendment asking for this to be implemented, but the chamber voted narrowly against it by eight votes to seven.
Councillor Graham said: “With the loss of many businesses in Paisley as a result of the pandemic, we need to do all we can to support businesses and I think this change would help that.
“We’ve seen the likes of Marks & Spencer and Burton’s leave the High Street, so we need to do all we can.”
Board convener Cathy McEwan originally suggested she would accept the amendment without going to a vote, but U-turned after council leader Iain Nicolson claimed it was not the right time to expand Free for Three to all car parks.
“I appreciate the intent behind the amendment and we do have a car park working group which Councillor Graham attends,” said Councillor Nicolson.
“The group met a few weeks back and we agreed we would return the council car parks which best support local businesses back to the Free for Three policy.
“There was an understanding car parks weren’t working while they were entirely free.
“There wasn’t an agreement to expand Free for Three to all council car parks within Paisley.
“There’s nothing there in the amendment to back up any economic reasons for extending it to other car parks.
“I don’t believe officers and businesses have had a chance to look at what that might mean for car park usage.”
Labour councillor Jim Sharkey accused the council leader of “chairing the meeting” after Councillor McEwan changed her mind.
Councillor Nicolson said the working group would be reviewing whether to expand Free for Three further in a few months’ time.
Colette Cardosi, chair of business improvement district Paisley First, which was behind the Free for Three concept, said she is “disappointed” the council had decided not to include all car parks in the scheme.
Spaces in Orchard Street, Weighhouse Close, Hunter Street upper and lower, Oakshaw and School Wynd will be free for three hours from Monday.
The initiative will run for six months to allow the working group to assess impact after the original pilot was disrupted by lockdown.