CHURCHGOERS, golfers and tennis court users – as well as businesses and residents – have, say East Lothian Council, been listened to in revamped plans to introduce parking charges in North Berwick.

Last November, the local authority unveiled radical proposals to greatly improve “parking management” and raise much-needed income for the local authority.

These proposals – the biggest shake-up of parking provision in North Berwick for decades – were met with concern by residents, businesses and groups.

At its crux were plans to introduce four Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ) where on-street parking charges – varying from 50p to £1 per 30-minute period – would be introduced  8.30am-6pm, seven days a week, and residents in designated streets would be charged £40 for parking permits.

Following public consultation, which was held between November 2 and December 13 last year, amendments to the scheme will now go before councillors at Tuesday's East Lothian Council meeting for approval.

East Lothian Courier: St Andrew Blackadder Church in North Berwick. Image: Google Maps

A report by planning officials to councillors highlighted the proposed amendments made to the scheme and stressed that these adequately "mitigate the public concerns" raised by the consultation.

The proposed main amendments to the original proposals include:

  • Increasing the free parking period on High Street's 41 parking spaces from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. However, restrictions on Westgate would not change and the free parking period there would remain at 30 minutes;
  • Making the scheme less complex by reducing the number of CPZs from four to three;
  • Removing previously proposed designated parking zones for residents by integrating them with charged zones – thereby increasing the amount of spaces for residents from 546 spaces to 923, but retaining the £40 resident charge;
  • Increasing the proposed cost of overnight street parking from £12 to £20 on high-sided vehicles and campervans;
  • Extending from five to six hours the  maximum parking stay in the west CPZ  to accommodate golfers at the West Links, allowing them to "complete their round and enjoy the hospitality" afterwards;
  • Extending free parking on a Sunday until 1pm after concerns raised by churchgoers that "charging would unfairly impact their congregations on Sunday mornings" were acknowledged;
  • Altering the on-street designation of Glasclune Gardens to become a combined residents' and paid on-street parking area after some users of the town tennis courts claimed they were being unfairly penalised because the adjacent streets were proposed for residents' only parking.

It has been revealed that the scheme would generate annual income of almost £1.2m – though would cost £105,000 to run annually and have capital costs of £450,000 including the installation of ticket machines, new signing and lining, IT systems, offices, as well as the hiring of two new parking attendants.

East Lothian Courier:

However, the council has dismissed calls to make the parking charging regime seasonal, stating in the report that "the proposals have not been amended as this will have significant impact on anticipated benefits and weakens the intended outcomes".

It also rejected suggestions of amending the cost to park within the charged zones, believing the proposed prices were "reasonable".

The report added that the charged areas would "support economic growth, incentivise sustainable transport options, reduce traffic flows and contribute to less reliance on the private car".

READ MORE: Major clampdown on free parking in North Berwick

The next stage will see the proposals discussed at the full council meeting on Tuesday, with the report recommending that councillors proceed with the proposed scheme.

In response to the amendments, North Berwick's business association reiterated its serious concerns.

Susan Oliver, co-chair of North Berwick Business Association (NBBA), said: "NBBA have only just got sight of this document.

"We are extremely concerned about its contents and the knock-on effect this will have on the town centre and people visiting the town centre.

"The effect it will have on shops' abilities to afford to remain open and serving the community could be catastrophic.

"East Lothian Council persist in the belief that parking charges will NOT decimate North Berwick High Street by keeping residents and visitors away.

"However, report after report states that where towns have introduced parking charges, it has reduced footfall and killed off the town centre.

"This leads to empty shops, higher unemployment, people avoiding the town centre and greater social issues. Collectively, the High Street is the biggest employer in North Berwick.

"An urgent meeting with East Lothian Council will take place to discuss this further and NBBA will make further comment."