Plans for a hefty price rise for long-stay parking in Inverness have been scrapped after it emerged it could cost Highland Council more than it saves.
The authority raised the price for parking at the Rose Street multistorey on April 1 – prompting an angry backlash from city-centre businesses and the public.
Now the council’s ruling administration has performed a U-turn and cut the price of parking for 24 hours from £15 to £7.
The new prices, which also affect monthly passes, are valid from today.
Councillor Graham Mackenzie, chairman of the local authority’s community services committee, said a review revealed that the higher costs meant fewer motorists were using the car park since the increase.
The council hopes that the Rose Street car park could raise an additional £200,000 a year towards balancing its budget – and Mr Mackenzie said he hoped the revised prices would be “more acceptable” to motorists.
He added: “The higher charges which were initially set may have resulted over time in lower use of the car park and therefore a reduction in overall income forecasted, and a considerable amount of work has been done to remodel the pricing structure to achieve a balance.”
He added: “The car park income is actively monitored on a monthly basis. Data will be analysed for a few months to validate the assumptions made and to analyse the real impact of the price increase on income levels.”
City businessman Bryan Peach, owner of the Victorian Market Giftshop, said the recent fire in Academy Street had shown businesses “if there’s no cars, there’s no people”.
He added: “All of the businesses have made it clear that the charges as they were were just crazy.
“Anything that can bring people into the city centre is a bonus.
“I know the council need to make money but there needs to be a solution somewhere which suits everyone.”