Angus Council has bowed to public pressure and is planning to introduce changes to its short stay car parks.
The maximum waiting period will be doubled from two to four hours following feedback from motorists.
And drivers will no longer have to key in their vehicle’s registration number at parking meters in a move intended to speed up the process.
The proposals will be put to the policy and resources committee on April 30.
They have been spearheaded by communities convener, Montrose independent councillor Mark Salmond, who contacted fellow councillors to seek their views after suggestions from members of the public.
He said the two-hour limit had been in place since 1996 and it was time for change.
“This committee report shows the benefit of having open conversations across political boundaries,” said Mr Salmond.
“It makes sense to allow parking up to four hours in our short stay car parks, given we charge just £1 an hour up to a maximum of four hours in all other car parks where we have Pay to Park. It also retains the flexibility of having short stay car parks.”
Fellow Montrose and district independent councillor Tommy Stewart, communities vice-convener, said: “We want to enhance and improve the payment system for our parking charges and are confident this will help to do just that.
“By reducing the time spent at the parking meter we can simplify and speed up the Pay to Park process.”
The council is also considering changes to the payment system following the introduction of controversial parking charges across the county on November 1 2018.
A member-officer working group is looking at introducing cash payments, as opposed to the current card-only system.
The charges have been met with protests and boycotts of council car parks, leading to fears for the future of town-centre traders.
Members of the public will be consulted on preferred payment methods in a survey, which will be available on-line and in paper format at libraries in all burgh towns in early May.
Findings will be reported back to the communities committee.
