Drivers using Aberdeenshire Council’s off-street car parks are being remind they will now need to pay.
In June, the authority’s infrastructure committee voted in favour of new tariffs for pay and display sites in towns across the region including Stonehaven, Ellon, Inverurie, Peterhead and Banchory.
Previously motorists were able to freely park for up to an hour, but from today they will need to pay 50p.
But the subsequent charges for longer parking periods will be cheaper than before, at £1 for one to two hours, £3 for two to five hours, and £5 for more than five hours.
Certain business groups across the region have criticised the move, with Derek Ritchie of We Are Inverurie previously calling it a “kick in the teeth” for local traders.
However Peter Argyle, the chairman of the infrastructure committee, last night argued the new costs are more fair for everyone, and believes it will encourage people to spend more time in town centres once they are there.
He said: “The car parking section of the budget was losing a considerable amount of money, and we simply couldn’t afford to go on keeping a loss.
“Since the free period was introduced, something like 80% of people using the car parks weren’t paying – which in effect meant that 20% of those who used them were paying for the entire operation, which is neither fair nor justifiable.
“So after much thought and consideration we looked at it very carefully and decided the most equitable thing to do would be to introduce a very small charge for that first period, and bring down the costs for everything after that.
“We hope, and experience elsewhere shows, this should encourage more people to spend longer in town centres as they won’t feel rushed to get back to the car.
“And the operating surplus will be reinvested in car parks, making sure we have the most up-to-date equipment, the best resurfacing work and everything else that we need.”
Contactless payment technology is currently being rolled out across Aberdeenshire Council’s car parks in order to make payment simpler.
Mr Argyle added: “All we’re asking now is just 50p, which is made all the more easier with contactless payment.
“You would be hard pressed to find somewhere else in the UK where you can get an hour’s worth of parking for just 50p.”
