Former Ayrshire MP Sir Brian Donohoe has branded plans to introduce car parking charges in North Ayrshire as "total folly."
The retired politician this week spoke out to throw his weight behind a campaign to save free parking in Irvine, Kilwinning, Saltcoats and Largs.
He reckons implementing parking charges would be a commercial disaster for the local economy, particularly in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and is calling on North Ayrshire Council to think again.
Sir Brian, a long-term critic of car parking fees in the area, fought against such proposals with each of the council’s three chief executives during his 23 years at Westminster.
The former Central Ayrshire MP says that since his election to Parliament in 1992 he has seen at first hand the damage caused by parking charges in towns and cities across the UK - not least on his own patch.
“You don’t even need to look that far,” said Brian, who lives in Irvine.
“The problems faced in Ayr and Kilmarnock since parking charges were introduced are well-documented. Both these towns have suffered a hammer blow to their shopping centres.
"It’s no surprise that South Ayrshire and East Ayrshire councils have cancelled car parking charges this Christmas.
"They know very well that motorists will go elsewhere when an extended drive to the likes of Silverburn and Braehead is rewarded with greater choice and free parking.”
Three petitions protesting against the controversial proposals will go before council chiefs in January.
Sir Brian recalled how he had met leaders of the local authority on several occasions in the past in an effort to convince them of the “total folly” of hitting motorists with car park charges.
“The consequences for these town centres in the long run were disastrous – fewer visitors meant fewer customers and lower footfall in the shops.
“The situation is no better now. In fact it’s worse, given the struggle there was to keep going through Covid and now the fight to survive with spiralling energy costs and the price of absolutely everything going through the roof.
“The people who have soldiered on in local businesses need to be cut some slack, not another hurdle put in their way.
“The income generated by this exercise, estimated at £440,000, is a short term gain. The damage will follow in the years ahead.
"There will be a steady decline, just as we have seen in Ayr and Kilmarnock, both of which are shadows of their former selves.”
“This latest proposal, introduced by the Labour Administration – and which I raised my objection to – was withdrawn when the effects of Covid were taken into consideration.
"That temporary withdrawal was welcomed in many quarters when the same forceful arguments were raised.
“I know that ditching the proposal might lead to complaints about shop staff and council employees occupying valuable car parking spaces all day long. However, other large towns have tackled this successfully with a bit of understanding on both sides.
“I'm also aware that the budget would have to be adjusted but I think it would be a better trade-off, in the longer term, to maintain free parking and raise council taxes slightly.
“Parking charges have proven to be the deciding factor when shoppers choose where they will shop.
"At the very least the Administration of North Ayrshire Council should take another look at their decision – but only after visiting Ayr and Kilmarnock and weighing up how these town centres have fared.
"Relying on the views and advice of council officers alone is not enough.”
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