A Labour plan to impose parking charges at Fife’s main rail stations and park and ride facilities ”stinks of hypocrisy” according to a local MSP.
SNP MSP David Torrance said Labour had been vociferous in its criticism of the plan when it was mooted by the former SNP-Lib Dem administration. It was ultimately rejected.
”This is ridiculous. Labour rejected this when it was raised by a previous administration and were heavily critical of it.
”This will hit people who are going to work every day in what are very tough economic times.”
Under the plans, which will be considered next week, users of car parks at seven railway stations Inverkeithing, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline Town, Dunfermline Queen Margaret, Dalgety Bay, Rosyth and Leuchars would be charged between £1.60 and £2.40, depending on the location.
In addition, parking charges would be imposed at the award-winning Ferrytoll Park and Ride off the M90 and the planned Halbeath Park and Choose site, which is not due to open for around three years.
Fife Council’s executive committee is being asked to consider and approve moves to introduce the car park charges when it meets next Tuesday.
According to council officials, the move is necessary to help manage demand.
But Mr Torrance said: ”They are only looking at ways to raise revenue, not looking at sorting out parking problems in the area.”
Councillor Pat Callaghan, the executive spokesperson for transportation and environment, said: ”What’s being suggested are measures to help manage the parking spaces we’ve got available and I am supportive of this approach.
”At some of our train stations there isn’t enough parking to meet the needs of commuters and other passengers.
”But, as the facility is free, some people use spaces even when they’re not travelling, or leave cars longer than they need to.
”Introducing a small charge should help deter people who don’t need to park in these places.
”Although legitimate users would then need to pay, they stand more chance of finding a parking space to pay for.”
He admitted that introducing charges would create a ”small revenue stream” for the council, which would go to fund road and transportation improvements after the cost of running a charge scheme was covered.
However, leader of the opposition Peter Grant argued there was nothing ”small” about what could amount to £5 million over five years.
”It is the hard-pressed workers of Fife who are not going to take too kindly to that.
”Why has there been a change of heart? We were vilified for it, why is this suddenly the right thing to do when it was an evil proposal before?”
Mr Callaghan said the administration was suggesting introducing charges where there are none and where it makes sense to have them, but not increasing parking charges across the board given the economic challenges facing town centres.
The head of transportation and environmental services, Bob McLellan, explained that if the executive approves the recommendations there is a legal process to go through to introduce a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) before charging could start.
”As part of this process the public would be consulted,” he said.
”We would also consider creating resident parking schemes in surrounding streets to create a controlled parking zone.
”It would take at least four months to go through the statutory procedures for a TRO.”
The report also proposes a network of new charging stations be installed in car parks throughout Fife to encourage people to use electric cars.
”They are only looking at ways to raise revenue, not looking at sorting out parking problems in the area.”