Parking charges across Perth and Kinross are to increase by 10 per cent.
Perth and Kinross Council has announced it will increase parking charges in all of its car parks and on-street parking across the region at the end of next month.
The news was announced just after Tuesday's Perthshire Advertiser went to print on Monday, March 19.
These new charges will be applicable between the hours of 8am and 6pm from Monday through to Saturday.
In Perth city centre’s “zone one”, the maximum one hour stay will increase to £1.10. Likewise, “zone two” in the city centre, which has a maximum stay of four hours, will also increase to £1.10 an hour.
Elsewhere in Perth, the outer city centre “zone three” charges will go up to 60p for one hour, £1.10 for two hours, £1.70 for three hours, £2.20 for four hours, and £3.30 for six hours. The maximum charge will be £4.40 for up to 10 hours. This includes the South Inch car park and the Norie-Miller and Riverside car parks.
The prices in both Timblerow car park and the Canal Street multi-storey car park will go up to £1.10 per hour, rising to £6.60 for up to six hours and £8.80 for up to ten hours.
A monthly season ticket to park in Perth city centre will go up to £105 per month, with the weekday-only season ticket now priced at £66.
A council spokesperson said: “A monthly season ticket covering Monday to Saturday will cost £61. Residents’ permits for Perth city in the inner zone which is on and within the inner ring road will cost £210 annually and in the outer zone £120 annually.”
The increase in parking charges will also affect residents, shoppers and visitors outside of Perth city centre as well.
In Blairgowrie, off-street parking on Croft Lane, The Croft and Ericht Lane will cost 90p for one hour and £1.60 for two hours. Likewise in Leslie Street the parking will increase to 90p for one hour, £1.60 for two hours, £2.70 for four hours and £4 for 10 hours. An annual season ticket for Blairgowrie will now cost £132.
The local authority’s spokesperson explained the price increases in Crieff: “In Crieff town centre on street parking will cost 60p for 30 minutes. On street parking per hour, which is the maximum stay, will cost £1.10.
“Off street parking in James Square per hour, which is the maximum stay, will cot £1.10. Residents’ permits will cost £132 annually.”
In the Highland Perthshire town of Pitlochry, off-street parking on Atholl Road, Ferry Road and Rie-Achan Road will now cost 90p for one hour, £1.60 for two hours, £2.70 for four hours and £4 for ten hours. Coaches parking in the Rie-Achan Road car park will now need to pay £4 per visit, and residents will now need to pay £132 a year.
And in Dunkeld town centre, off-street parking on Atholl Street and Tay Terrace will go up to 90p for one hour, £1.60 for two hours, £2.70 for four hours and £4 for 10 hours with an annual season ticket costing £132.
Likewise, off-street parking at a number of Live Active Leisure centres will also increase.
Parking at the Rodney Pavilion will now cost 60p for two hours, £2.70 for three hours and £4 for four hours.
Similarly, Bell’s Sports Centre car park charges will go up to 60p for two hours, 70p for five hours, £4.10 for six hours and £5.30 for nine hours.
On-street and off-street “bay suspensions” will go up to £12 per day.
However, the local authority spokesperson was quick to add the 15 minutes of free parking will remain, and the money raised from these charge increases will be re-invested back into parking across Perth and Kinross.
The spokesperson said: “There will be a 10 per cent increase in parking charges in all Perth and Kinross owned car parks and on and off street parking for 2018-2019.
“The budget decision is the first increase in parking charges for six years in Perth and Kinross and parking in Perth remains far cheaper than in other Scottish cities.
“The increase charges will become effective on April 30, 2018.”
The spokesperson continued: “The revenue from the increase in charges will be reinvested in parking facilities across the area. Improvements that the council has made so far include the complete refurbishment of the Perth’s Canal Street multi-storey car park and the introduction of ‘pay on foot’ parking in both Canal Street and the South Inch car park.
“This allows the motorist the flexibility to spend more time shopping or doing business in Perth without worrying about overstaying their parking time.
“Perth and Kinross Council will continue to offer the first 15 minutes of parking free across the Perth and Kinross area, a scheme which has come into its own in this era of ‘click and collect’. This has been well received by shoppers and businesses alike.”
The new increased parking charges will be introduced on Monday, April 30.
