The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Sunday parking charge row
Former minister and ex-policeman say fees will ‘kill’ town Fort William:
Lochaber locals and visitors have hit out at parking charges in Fort William on Sundays maintaining they will “kill” the town.
A former police superintendent and a retired church minister believe issuing parking tickets on a Sunday will stop people visiting the area.
The Rev Gordon Mair, who recently retired from the town’s Free Church, said: “Outside the church at the west end of the High Street there is a motorcycle parking bay. The nearest spaces for cars is outside a nearby Chinese restaurant, but you can only park there for 15 minutes.
“Where can you get to in that time? I also don’t know any minister who could preach a sermon in 15 minutes. There is half-hour parking outside the Jobcentre across the road, but outside St Mary’s Church in Belford Road you can park for two hours.”
Mr Mair added: “The inconsistency of it all really bothers me. In other parts of the country, parking is free on a Sunday. You can even park in Edinburgh on Sunday for nothing.
“It’s just a scheme to generate money and, if visitors complain about it on social media, it will stop other folk from coming here. This will kill the town.”
Charlie Hepburn was born and bred in Fort William and was a police officer in the area for many years.
He said: “I’m retired now and live near Dingwall, but I was at the Sunday parade in the town for the Six Days Trial and was absolutely incensed to see a woman towing a trailer receive a ticket for parking in a caravan bay. She thought she was doing the right thing and received a £60 fine for her trouble.
“In Dingwall all the parking is free, even during the week, and it’s the same in Alness. It’s just an excuse to make money.”
A Highland Council spokesman said: “Where Traffic Orders are in place, Sunday enforcement will apply. The introduction of decriminalised parking enforcement, DPE, was widely publicised and the public was consulted on draft traffic regulation orders for Inverness and Fort William last year inviting comments from individuals and businesses alike. Our enforcement team operates between 8am and 10pm seven days a week. Although currently focussed in Inverness and Fort William where full implementation is in place, spot checks can and are made across the Highlands, including on Sundays. Off-street car parks with tariffs have been subject to Sunday charges since 2015 long before DPE came into force.”
“You can park in Edinburgh on Sunday for nothing”