Councillors have backed plans to boost trade in Helensburgh by giving two hours’ free parking in the town centre.
Yesterday (Tuesday) they voted in favour of a u-turn which will see free stays of up to two hours on the Sinclair Street car park, with plans for £40 residents’ permits across the town centre being dropped.
The decision by Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee still needs to be approved by the authority’s environment, development and infrastructure committee for approval, however, and minority councillors claimed afterwards that ‘political posturing’ had affected the vote.
More than 4,000 people backed a petition called for two hours’ free parking organised by Helensburgh and Lomond Chamber of Commerce, and Kathleen Owen of Helensburgh Pet Shop on Sinclair Street, said: “This will be good news for Helensburgh and would be regarded as a sign of support from the council to the local community and businesses and will help to attract shoppers and visitors back to the town.
“It also allows Helensburgh to compete with the other shopping experiences in the area who are all offering free parking.”
SNP councillors James Robb and Richard Trail put forward their own amendment but were unsuccessful – this would have seen the two free hours extended to all the town’s car parks, and scrapped plans to impose new parking restrictions in James Street and West Clyde Street.
Afterwards Cllr Robb said: “The current confusion over parking will continue for another nine months.
“Enforcement is a lottery for those motorists not in the know as restrictions are not being enforced on many streets. However, as the parking there causes no problems why have restrictions at all?
“In the town centre Restricted Parking Zone, people are getting out of their cars to locate the almost invisible bay markings.”
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