'Everything should be done to get people back into Inverness city centre'
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Highland Council is all set to install "invitation to pay" parking metres at two popular city locations.
Torvean car park and Shore Street Quay will have meters installed, but the council has said payment will be on a voluntary basis only.
The council is also proposing to give shoppers an hour's free parking during June at the Rose Street car park - in order to increase footfall in the city centre.
The proposals, due to be discussed by councillors today at the City of Inverness committee, are part of a wider consultation on traffic regulation in the city.
Councillors are also being asked to agree a "partnership" with the port authority in respect to the Shore Street Quay car park.
The report to councillors sets out the plan.
It states: "This report sets out a proposal to create an offer to city centre visitors at the multi storey car park during June 2021 to sustain or increase footfall to the city centre to help recovery after ongoing Covid–19 impacts, in support of retail business on the release of travel restrictions.
"The report also sets out the proposal for new charges to be introduced in two car parks in the city – at Torvean and Shore Street Quay."
Councillor Andrew Jarvie, Inverness South ward, said the proposals amount to introducing parking charges by stealth.
He said: "This is a way of introduction parking charges by stealth by putting in the parking metres without the necessary legislation.
"I have a concern that while there is supposedly an hour free, if you stay for two hours it is the same price as it was prior to the 'free month'. It was £1.50 for two hours before. It remains £1.50 for two hours.
"The parking charges in Inverness should be scrapped altogether to get people back into the city centre, putting a one hour free does not give people the opportunity to get into town to enjoy the shops and restaurants. We want people to come in and enjoy the area."
In regard to the one hour free at Rose Street car park, Mike Smith, the Inverness BID manager, said: "We were hoping the Highland Council would repeat the two hours free offer which was in operation here at Christmas pre 2020.
"The current proposals for June for Rose Street car park are to be welcomed but we would have hoped this would be in place for a longer period to encourage residents and visitors to visit the city.
"We need to try to get away from parking as a prime source of income and see it more as part of the marketing mix."
Stewart Nicol of Inverness Chamber of Commerce added: "Everything needs to be done to encourage people back into the city centre."
READ: Highland man calls on Royal Mail staff over abuse of disabled parking bays in Dingwall
