Free parking plan to help Kirkcaldy town centre

The off-street parking will last between February 23 and March 29, and comes as Fife Council also announced that its discounted all-day parking scheme will be extended until the end of the year.

The council hopes the moves will help breathe life back into the town centre, with selected car parks taking part.

The discounted scheme, which costs £20 per month, will work at the Kirkcaldy Centre (formerly the Postings) the Esplanade (car parks A and B), Hill Place and the multi-storeys.

The council has previously been ridiculed over its outdated method of payment and administration for the scheme, with drivers urged to download and print off an application for and post it along with a cheque.

Councillor Neil Crooks, convener of the Kirkcaldy area committee, said: “When it comes to local matters it’s the locals who matter, and who are best placed to influence what happens in their area.

“From the feedback we’ve had from the ongoing placemaking consultation, which includes parking, as well as directly from residents and visitors we know that car parking continues to be a concern for many.

“We’re listening to what we’re being told and as promised, we’re doing something about it.

“We can see from the initial pilot that the discounted season ticket is benefiting those who work in the town centre, students and regular visitors. People are buying the ticket to get cheaper parking and direct access to the heart of the town.

Cllr Crooks continued: “We also want to give people choice, so anyone who wants to buy the existing car park season ticket for £130 per quarter can still to do so. The advantages of buying this season ticket is that you can use it in any of the long stay car parks throughout Kirkcaldy and the rest of Fife.

“Last year we said that we’d keep looking at other car parking measures and, as part of our commitment to this, we’re also providing free off-street parking to anyone coming to the town centre on Sundays from the end of the month until the end of March.

“We hope that by using the £28,000 to trial these different parking options we can get a better idea of what we can, and must do, on a more regular basis to breathe life back in to the town centre.”

Applying for a season ticket, discounted and regular, can be done by going to www.fife.gov.uk/carparkseasonticket or over the phone by calling 03451 55 55 55 ext 480208 between 9am-4pm.

Ticket will then be posted out or arrangements can be made to collect it from the Town House with notice.

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