Parking charges on Sundays reviewed

Levy could be scrapped just months after being introduced

Sunday parking charges in Fife could be scrapped just months after being introduced, The Courier can reveal.

Fife Council has confirmed it is reviewing how motorists pay to park in the region, with the controversial introduction of a Sunday levy to be considered as part of that process.

That news comes after figures obtained by The Courier reveal the local authority received almost £42,000 in fines in just six months from drivers who were penalised for parking illegally on Sundays.

Stating that its entire parking strategy was under scrutiny, Soma Raviraj from the council’s transportation department, said: “Everything we do as a service is being reviewed and all parking charges will be looked at as part of that review.”

Fife Council coffers may have swelled by up to £42,000 because of parking fines from Sunday drivers.

The Courier can reveal 699 motorists were issued with penalty charge notices on Sundays during the first six months of the year.

However, it can also be revealed the controversial levy, which was only introduced in January, could be scrapped as part of a Fife Council review.

Soma Raviraj, senior manager at the local authority’s transportation department, said: “As part of the council change plan we are currently looking at all services across the council to see how they can be delivered more efficiently and effectively, in order to meet the challenges of ever increasing financial pressures.

“Everything we do as a service is being reviewed and all parking charges will be looked at as part of that review.”

Sunday parking charges were introduced by Fife Council’s previous Labour administration in January in a bid to offset the impact of budget constraints.

However, the charges are only introduced at 1pm following a host of objections from local church leaders, who feared all-day charging would disadvantage their predominantly elderly congregations.

The move was opposed by the SNP, stating even the 1pm start did not address its concerns.

Now part of a joint-administration with Labour, it would appear the possibility of removing Sunday charges will be explored further.

If that were to happen then it would delight hundreds of drivers who have received fines since the new charging structure came into effect.

With 699 drivers having been issued with parking tickets across Fife on Sundays, the local authority could have received £41,940 if those punished did not accept the 50% discount for swift payment.

Even if all drivers paid within a fortnight of receiving their penalty, almost £21,000 in additional funds would have been taken in by the local authority, before revenues accrued by standard parking charges.

Everything we do as a service is being reviewed and all parking charges will be looked at as part of that review. SOMA RAVIRAJ OF FIFE COUNCIL

Picture: Kris Miller. Parking charges were introduced from 1pm on a Sunday by the previous Labour administration in Fife.