Free Parking A Thing Of The Past In City Centre On Sundays
Motorists driving into Glasgow on a Sunday may be in for a shock, with the news free parking is now a thing of the past. In an effort to resolve the issue of congestion, drivers will have to pay when parking their vehicles in the city centre.
Drivers will now have to pay to use on-street parking bays on Sunday, which was previously available free of charge. Motorists will now be charged £1.00 for 15 minutes on a Sunday, just as it is for the rest of the week, and you can park for up to two hours at most.
The new measures came into effect on Sunday the 30th of June, and, according to Glasgow City Council, it is partly to decrease the influx of traffic created by motorists who park their vehicles in spaces over a long period, sometimes all day. Council chiefs say this reduces the number of parking spaces to be found in the city, as drivers look for somewhere to park their cars, leading to traffic problems and blocking the city centre.
The council feel the regulations will improve parking availability on a Sunday for tourists travelling to Glasgow, or people venturing into the city centre to go shopping, along with local residents and blue badge holders.
Glasgow City Council believes imposing parking charges may lead to more folk choosing to take the bus, or other forms of public transport, instead of driving their vehicles. This may be one of the ways the new regulations will benefit the environment, as lowering the ratio of parked cars in the city centre may cut pollution and improve air quality. The council also believe the new measures may cause more people to get out of their cars and walk around on foot or ride their bicycles, which may help improve the health of the people of Glasgow.
The City Council maintains these changes are designed to combat congestion and improve the parking situation in the city. However, despite these admirable intentions, it may not stop the measures from being controversial, where many motorists feel aggrieved about having to pay for parking on a Sunday when they could previously park for free.