Free Sunday parking in Glasgow city centre ends today

Free Sunday parking in Glasgow city centre has come to an end today in a bid to tackle congestion problems.

Proposals to end the free parking were discussed in January and earlier this month it was announced that new regulations would come into force on Sunday, June 30.

It means that a fee will be charged for parking in the city centre seven days a week, with the current charge for on-street parking set at £1 for 15 minutes for a maximum stay of two hours.

Glasgow City Council has said the new measures will reduce the number of motorists parking in a bay for the whole day, which it claims stifles the availability of parking spaces and creates a build-up of traffic as drivers search for somewhere to leave their vehicles.

As part of the new measures, a number of taxi ranks will be extended or introduced across the city centre.

Good vehicles will have a number of exemptions from the waiting and loading restrictions at a wide range of locations.

Drivers have also been advised to check local signs to ensure they are complying with the new arrangements.

Glasgow Chamber chief executive Stuart Patrick has raised concerns that the new measures could be damaging for businesses located in the city.

He said: "We are concerned these charges will lead to shoppers being pushed out of the city centre and towards peripheral malls, which is worrying for traders and in contrast to our overall ambitions for retail and leisure in the city."

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "This new range of measures is about tackling parking bay blocking in the city centre on a Sunday.

"Many drivers currently park on the street on a Saturday night, leaving their vehicles unmoved until well into the next day.

"Other motorists also take up spaces for long spells throughout the day on a Sunday.

"The new regulations will make Sunday on-street parking more frequently available to shoppers, visitors, tourists, blue badge holders and residents alike."