Inverurie drivers are already avoiding the town centre on day one of parking charges being introduced across dozens of previously free spaces.
And those who were forced to park were quick to vent their frustration at free stays being scrapped.
“Ridiculous” and “disappointed” were the buzzwords in the Garioch town today, as we visited the Burn Lane Car Park to gauge the reaction.
Despite ongoing efforts to undo the changes, the 116 free spaces were lost – with new signs put up ahead of the new policy coming into effect.
Many of them lay empty all day.
It also means Inverurie, which has been described as “Scotland’s busiest town centre”, will now only have 15 free parking spaces, which will only be available to use at the weekend.
So what did drivers think?
Lesley Dutton, 62, had become so “accustomed to parking for free”, she did not notice the new “big sign” that had been installed to let motorists know of the fees.
She said: “It’s disappointing, because I think it encouraged a lot of people to come into Inverurie, which is quite a thriving town.
“I think it will deter people from coming.”
Her fears are that people will park in business car parks, including nearby Inverurie Garden Centre and Lidl, causing congestion and chaos.
‘This will help Tesco profit at expense of town centre’
JP Bailey, who lives in Monymusk, thinks the charges are “not very helpful” for small businesses that do not have their own car parks – and believes it will favour “out of town” shops like Tesco.
“It’s making the town centre less accessible for people that just want to pop in, and it increases the cost of the trip,” he said.
In a message aimed directly at Aberdeenshire Council, the 60-year-old sarcastically sneered “thanks very much”.
‘It should be left free’
Despite council chiefs estimating that extending the parking charges to the entire Burn Street Car Park will raise an additional £35,000 per year for the cash-strapped authority, they have not installed new parking meters.
Instead, numerous signs urge people to pay by app via PayByPhone or RingGo… Leaving people preferring to use cash in a quandary.
Stuart Allen, a 42-year-old subsea engineer from “just outside” Inverurie, was not happy about the pricing.
“I think we get charged enough nowadays for all sorts of stuff, so I think it should be left free of charge,” he said.
And he argued that town centre car parks should be extended as “more and more” houses being built in the area.
Mr Allen thinks the decision “probably will” affect local businesses, saying: “We spend enough in the shops, the least they can do is give us parking for nothing.”
Visitors to car park met with untreated surface and fire-damaged wreck
The Burn Lane facility had always been divided into free and paying sections.
Now, with charges imposed, the only difference was that gritting had been carried out at one side and not the other.
People looked anxious as they got out of their cars in the area which had been free, battling to maintain their footing on the ice.
Meanwhile, lurking at the back of the car park was a burned out motor which has been left as an eyesore since exploding into flames in September.
In response to the backlash from locals and traders, Aberdeenshire Council said the charges could mean more people coming into the town.
However, The P&J was met by a frosty response by a council worker today at the car park, who told us that we “shouldn’t” be interviewing people there and called her boss to complain…
Concerns over ‘illegal parking’ as charges rolled out
A few yards away, retired coach driver, John Cooke, let us know his thoughts at the Garioch Shopping Centre.
The Insch resident added: “I don’t know what cars will do, because that free car park’s full all the time.
“It’s totally wrong, they will spoil the town.”
The prices are:
- Up to one hour – 65p
- Up to two hours – £1.25
- Up to five hours – £3.75
- Up to nine hours – £6.25
Back at Burn Street, 20-year-old Alanah Christie was nipping into town to drop off a parcel.
“It’s ridiculous, because there’s nowhere else really to park in Inverurie and it’s such a busy place,” she fumed.
“So many people need to come into the centre, where are you supposed to park?”
She is concerned people will illegally park, especially if they are doing a “quick job”.
Will the charges put you off shopping in Inverurie? Let us know in our comments section below
Australian expat opts against shopping trip after discovering charges
Inverurie attracts visitors due to its rich history, vibrant atmosphere and closeness to Bennachie, and one non-local in town today was 54-year-old Cameron Moir who lives in Queensland, Australia.
He was in the area visiting him mum, and called the change “ridiculous”.
In fact, it put him off getting her a Marks and Spencer coffee, as he had planned.
He said: “She loves her Marks and Spencer’s coffee, so all I do is get her a coffee to bring a smile to her face.”
However, due to the new fees being introduced, he refused to pay for parking and M&S lost a guaranteed customer.
He is just one example of what trade leaders fear could be many opting against spending in the town centre – if it means paying for parking too.
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