Increased prices were introduced at Elgin’s car parks early this year in an attempt by Moray Council to bank more money, but is it actually working?
The Press and Journal revealed last week that the changes had sparked an exodus from the pay and displays.
Figures published by the council show the number of cars has plummeted by several thousand per week most months.
The 20% drop has led to concerns about the impact on town centre footfall amid worries residential streets are being swamped by motorists avoiding the charges.
Moray Council estimated the increased charges would bank them an extra £414,000 a year in an attempt to close a budget gap of £12.7 million.
So, is it actually achieving what it set out to do? The Press and Journal has analysed the numbers.
Are increased parking charges in Elgin generating extra cash?
The short answer is yes, but not as much as senior officials were counting on.
A freedom of information request from Moray Council shows the monthly income from each Elgin car park from February to August this year, compared to last year when the prices were lower.
And the figures show that for every month, apart from one, more money has been spent on parking.
However, the extra income generated from the seven months only totals £107,000, which is a rise of 26.5%.
If the increased income between February and August remained consistent over a year then it would generate £183,400. Less than half the £414,000 that was forecast.
The figures don’t include income from monthly direct debit permits, which can fluctuate a little but is currently about £3,200 per month.
Identifying avenues to generate any additional income is a key strategy for Moray Council as it juggles finances to close its £12 million budget black hole.
‘Elgin car park strategy is just about making money’
Moray Council’s approach to managing its pay and display car parks in Elgin has attracted opposition.
Critics argue it has focussed too much on generating cash and not enough about encouraging footfall and tackling issues on residential streets.
Elgin City South councillor John Divers said: “I’ve been saying it for years, it seems to be more about making money than anything else.
“I understand there is a need for the council to claw back some money to pay its way, but at the end of the day there are other issues not being dealt with.”
Alastair Kennedy, chairman of Elgin Community Council, believes a police crackdown on parking in town centre streets may have kept car park income higher than it may otherwise have been.
He said: “The cops have been going round giving tickets, which I think will have had an impact in keeping more people in the car parks.
“That could just be a short-term fix though, I think the wider problem still needs to be addressed.”
How does council plan to increase cash from Elgin car parks?
Reports written by senior Moray Council officials have revealed there is a £50,000 shortfall in the projected income from Elgin car parks.
Marketing campaigns promoting different payments options are being prepared in an attempt to entice drivers back to the bays.
It is expected that the advertisements will focus on the option to pay by mobile phone and the monthly direct debit season tickets.
Nicola Moss, the council’s head of environmental and commercial services, told councillors this month that drivers usually return after a period following price increases in car parks.
She said: “When we do make changes to charging we do see some changes in behaviour, but we also see that bounce back over time.
“We have seen that each time we’ve altered the charges for car parking.
“We will keep monitoring the impact on the ticket sales but there is also the wider financial aspect on what leave the council has available to it in terms of income generation.”
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