Charging visitors to park in Inverurie town centre could give supermarkets an edge over local traders, stop an influx of customers from Aberdeen and cause parking chaos elsewhere in the town.
These are just some of the concerns dozens of our readers have expressed since Aberdeenshire Council voted to roll out parking fees earlier this week.
Despite howls of protest, local authority leaders are pushing ahead with plans to axe free stays at the Burn Lane car park.
They say this will net an extra £35,000 per year at a time when cash is tight.
But many residents fear town centre traders could pay a far steeper price as the changes come into force.
And our readers didn’t hold back as they took to the comments section of our article about the charges to make their thoughts known.
What was the reaction to the Inverurie parking charges like?
The change comes after it emerged that Inverurie town centre is among the “most successful in Scotland”, with only one vacant unit and scores of independent businesses.
Shoe shop William Bruce said it had experienced a boost via customers from Aberdeen opting to visit Inverurie rather than visit their own city centre.
But reader John Robertson reckons this could soon dry up if parking charges deter people from venturing out to the Garioch town.
He commented: “Misguided. Inverurie was a good place to visit when Aberdeen city became impossible with its bus gates and LEZ.
“Now the madness is catching because Aberdeenshire Council sees this as a way to more money.”
‘May as well stay in Aberdeen’
Another added: “Take away the free parking and lose the people from Aberdeen that come in.
“If they now have to pay for parking, may as well stay in Aberdeen.”
Roy North appeared to confirm their fears.
He typed: “l know l won’t bother coming to Inverurie now, if we need a DIY store it’s either Aberdeen or Elgin. I just hope the council change their minds.”
And commenter Smith1 added: “Just seems to be that the council cannot do a proper budget and the only way to cream money is to fleece the motorist every time.”
Will parking chaos ensue elsewhere in Inverurie?
Among the negative reaction to the Inverurie parking charges, one commenter voiced worries about the impact on surrounding streets.
Billser said: “It grows arms and legs though. People not wanting to pay spread further out into free parking areas.
“Before you know it you’ve got resident parking permits you have to cough up for.”
Do you agree with the concerns? Let us know in our comments section below
Will more folk go to supermarkets instead?
RedNoseBlew took to the comments section of the Press and Journal website to bemoan the “unfair competition” the move could create.
They said: “Not only do small and medium-sized enterprises have to compete with mega shopping conglomerates on tilted prices, they are now uncompetitive on the parking stakes as the supermarkets have free parking.”
Another commenter, called Smith, said this had already happened in Fraserburgh.
They wrote: “Hanover Street car park in Fraserburgh is almost always empty apart from the free spaces – however all the surrounding streets are full.
“Doesn’t make sense to me at all, no wonder the town centre is dying. Easier to go out to Tesco or Asda with free parking.”
What could be the benefits of rolling out Inverurie parking charges?
During the tense talks on Tuesday, councillor and Aberdeenshire provost Judy Whyte stressed the potential positives of the parking fees.
She explained: “When a car park wasn’t charging, what happened was static cars stayed there all day and workers parking there made it very difficult for customers to come in.
“There is lots of evidence that pay and display encourages turnover of vehicles, it makes it easier for people to visit businesses and spend money in the town centre.”
The intense discussion ended up going to a vote, with the parking fees being backed by 10 to four.
Read more:
- Laings: Owners of Inverurie’s oldest business on helping Scotland’s ‘busiest town centre’ thrive
- William Bruce: 100-year-old Inverurie shoe shop reveals how customers from Aberdeen are boosting footfall
- New Inverurie Sainsbury’s could cause car park chaos with ‘five times the number of shoppers’
- Parking charges soar but gritting spared as we reveal full scale of budget cuts across Aberdeenshire
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