Parking charges at Falkirk's only country park are set to change as figures show less than 20 per cent of visitors currently pay to park there.
Members of Falkirk Council's executive heard that investment being made in Muiravonside Country Park is already bringing more visitors - but increasing income from car parking charges will be vital for the park to become financially viable.
In a bid to help the park 'wash its face', councillors have agreed car park barriers should include both of the site's car parks, so that more visitors will have to pay the fee, which will rise to £2.
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At the moment, a payment barrier is in place for the main car park at the centre of the park but visitors can also use the 'woodland car park' for free.
This means that just 20 per cent of visitors last year paid the £1 fee for parking in 2021/11. With 98,751 cars visiting the park, just over £19,000 was raised in income.
Falkirk Council took over management of the park last year when Falkirk Community Trust was disbanded.
Members heard that work is now ongoing to offer visitors to the 170 acres of woodland and parkland a better experience - and they were promised that more is to come.
New park rangers who took up their posts in 2022 have been developing an activity programme and over 60 ranger-led events are now planned for 2023.
These are expected to generate an income of around £3000.
A recent consultation also found that many of Muiravonside's visitors would like to see improvements in the park's play equipment and work should start soon.
A further £100,000 of path improvements (funded through developer contributions and external funding) are also planned for 2023/24.
The cafe has now been taken over by the team behind the Wee Coffee Cabin in Grangemouth's Zetland Park and there will be a 'soft launch' on May 14, with a formal opening following.
And there could be a major change soon as a third party could take charge of Newparks Farm, where visitors can meet a range of animals including Highland cattle and a collection of goats.
Last year, Falkirk Council agreed to look at the possibility of leasing NewParks Farm to a third party and expressions of interest in this close on May 19.
SNP spokesperson for economic development, Councillor Paul Garner, said he welcomed the fact that the park was being put on a "firmer financial footing".
He said: "In my view, £2 is a very reasonable price to pay not just for car parking but for a day out at the farm and the many natural attractions the park has to offer."
However, he said he wanted to reassure communities that transferring Newparks Farm to a third party would only happen if it was "financially prudent and it clearly demonstrated the community and visitor outcomes that the council wishes to see going forward".
He added: "It's an excellent facility but one that I feel would benefit from wider publicity around the whole of Falkirk district and indeed neighbouring authorities.
"I've certainly travelled a lot further and indeed paid a lot more than suggested here for similar facilities."
