Free Sunday parking in Glasgow city centre to be scrapped

Free Sunday parking in Glasgow city centre is to be scrapped after this weekend.

New rules will be introduced on 30 June bringing Sunday charges into line with Monday-Saturday parking, with drivers having to pay £1 for every 15 minutes.

The council said it hoped to tackle the problem of spaces being occupied for long periods by a single vehicle.

But business leaders have warned it could force potential city centre customers to out-of-town retail parks.

Council proposals published earlier this year recommended a two-hour maximum stay.

It was argued the move would make it easier to find an on-street parking space "for the purpose of shopping, leisure, tourism and doing business".

'Parking bay blocking'

A week ahead of the scheme's introduction, a spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "This new range of measures is about tackling parking bay blocking in the city centre on a Sunday.

"Many drivers currently park on the street on a Saturday night, leaving their vehicles unmoved until well into the next day. Other motorists also take up spaces for long spells throughout the day on a Sunday.

"The new regulations will make Sunday on-street parking more frequently available to shoppers, visitors, tourists, blue badge holders and residents alike. Improved parking regulations are known to reduce congestion and this in turn should improve air quality."

However, business leaders fear the move will put already struggling city centre outlets under more financial pressure.

A spokesman for Glasgow Chamber of Commerce said: "We are concerned these charges will lead to shoppers being pushed out of the city centre and towards peripheral malls, which is worrying for traders and in contrast to our overall ambitions for retail and leisure in the city."