The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Last free parking bays may be lost to drivers
Oban: Council proposal to bring in fees scheme
New proposals for parking in Oban includes a plan to charge inthe only freetown centre car park.
Oban Lorn and the Isles Area Committee of Argyll and Bute Council has agreed a set of proposals to go out to public consultation.
The council took over responsibility from the police for enforcing parking restrictions across the area in May last year.
In Oban it is proposed to alter the on-street charging structure to make it possible to pay in 15 minute increments rather than hourly.
It is also suggested to reverse the Sunday charging system, making on-street parking chargeable and off street free up to noon. The idea behind this is that people going into town on a Saturday night can leave their cars in the off street car park, leaving the on street spaces available for drivers who wish to use the town centre shops on a Sunday morning.
Changi n g the Lochavullin car park from its current 24- hour free parking arrangement to a four-hour free, no return structure is also being looked at. Charging in this car park will also beconsidered as partof the consultation.
On the isle of Mull, the council is considering charging in the off-street car parks in Tobermory and Fionnphort and extending the Fionnphort car park.
Another plan for throughout the Oban Lorn and the Islands area is to issue parking permits to district nurses and carers.
Chairman of the area committee, Councillor Roddy McCuish, said: “What we as a council are trying to do is improve the Oban, Lorn and the Isles area for both residents and visitors; these proposals represent what we think is, within reason, a fair reflection of what people want.
“At this stage they are just a starting point though; we are eager to get constructive feedback which is why we will be holding public drop- in events, requesting comments from community councils and hosting an online consultation on the council website. More details of the public consultation will follow and I would encourage people to give us their views. They will be listened to and will be used to inform the final proposals. I cannot emphasise enough that this is simply the start of the process; the feedback we get will be vital in constructing the final plans to which we hope everyone will contribute.”