Pilot project for councillors to take over Kirkcaldy town centre parking

Councillors in Kirkcaldy are poised to take control of town centre parking as part of a new pilot project.

They will also look at the highly contentious issue of parking charges and study all options on key issues such as de-pedestrianising the High Street.

Kirkcaldy was chosen as the best place for the trial because of the work being done locally on the town centre, and the strong input of organisations such as Kirkcaldy4All.

At the economy, tourism, strategic planning and transportation committee last week, councillors were told that the project was in line with the focus of “place making” for the council.

“It was considered that the Kirkcaldy area would be ideal as a pilot area. This will be a significant piece of work to take this forward.”

With the redevelopment of the Esplanade expected to get underway after the Links Market in 2019, this would give Kirkcaldy area committee greater control over helping that development succeed.

Cllr Ian Cameron, Labour for Kirkcaldy East, welcomed the development.

He said: “I think this is excellent. Kirkcaldy needs is some sort of fresh impetus and this could provide it.

“I’m really looking forward to the outcome of this integrated approach, . In Kircaldy we’re all speaking to each other, in these groups, and this is just evidence that this is all moving forward.”

The committee was told that it would be a long task and that no timescale was currently set for the project.

The committee was told that during high summer seasons, when car parks in places like St Andrews were at 90 per cent capacity, ones in Kirkcaldy were at less than 40 per cent, so provision was something they would also be looking closely at.

The project will now be the subject of a consultation with the findings delivered back to the area committee.