New proposals put forward from South Ayrshire could see charging for all on-street and off-street parking run from 11am – 6pm Monday – Saturday.

Under the proposals, parking bays on Mill Street and Smith Street would become pay and display, with a maximum two hour stay instead of the existing three hours, with the hope it would help the turnover spaces and could encourage more people to pop into Ayr Town Centre.

Ayrshire Roads Alliance, on behalf of South Ayrshire Council, has just launched a parking consultation for Ayr. The consultation, which is open until Monday, August 16, looks at everything from on-street and off-street parking, to residential permits.

Some of the rules have not been updated since the 1970s.

Current charging periods for on-street parking are either from 8am - 6pm Monday – Friday; 8am - 1pm Saturday; or 9:30am - 5pm Monday – Friday; 9:30am - 1pm Saturday, and 24 hours 7 days per week for off-street car parks.

Pay and display would also be introduced on the Esplanade from Blackburn Drive, northwards to its junction with Bath Place, from April 1 to September 30. The charge would be 50p per 30 minutes and £2 to park all day.

Currently, parking charges only apply in Charlotte Street, Barns Crescent and Kyle Street. Under the proposals Blackburn Esplanade; Mill Brae; New Road (Tam’s Brig); Riverside Place; Citadel Leisure Centre; Queens Terrace Lane; Kings Court; Castlehill; and Cromwell Road would all charge 50p for a 30 minute stay and £2.00 to park all day, with the exception of the Citadel which would charge £3 for an all day stay.

Virtual permits could be introduced for residential parking, with pay and

display areas for non-residents to help free up more spaces. Permits could also be introduced to allow tradespeople to park and then work in Ayr Town Centre. The cost of the permits would take into consideration location and administration costs.

Councillor Ian Cochrane, Environment Portfolio Holder for South Ayrshire Council said: “Some fundamental changes are being proposed, so it’s vital that residents have their say. Parking charges are never popular, but they do free up spaces, and this should encourage people back into the high street to the benefit of retailers. We also want to promote more sustainable forms of travel, so these proposals may encourage people to walk, cycle or take public transport more often.”

To comment on the proposals visit www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/consultations.