STV NewsBusinesses have hit out over council plans to impose a new parking permit scheme in Shawlands.
Glasgow City Council are currently consulting the residents of Shawlands, in the city’s Southside, to introduce yearly parking permits based on a car’s emissions as well as increasing pay-and-display fees.
The plan is also set to be rolled out across Battlefield and Strathbungo, with other areas being considered in the coming year.
The move is part of the council’s wider Transport Strategy aimed at reducing congestion, managing limited road space and improving traffic flow.
But traders warn plans will have a knock-on impact on the local economy.
‘This could close my gym’
STV NewsJason Evans, who opened Future Fitness on Kilmarnock Road in 2000, has been vocal in opposing the plan since it was announced.
He said businesses are already dealing with the impact of the pay-and-display charges on the busy main road, which costs just under £5 for an hour.
“If you train for one-and-a-half, two hours, that’s £10. That’s outrageous,” he said.
“It’s never a problem to park in Shawlands – at the worst, you might do a lap, but there’s always somewhere to park.
“Residents are not happy either, because they realise they’re going to have to pay for something they get for free now, and you won’t even get any more parking spaces.
“They’re making a problem out of no problem.”
STV NewsJason fears the proposals will push members towards out-of-town gyms with free parking, forcing him to either close or relocate.
“It’s going to hugely affect my business. It’s either going to close me down because, realistically, people won’t pay that much for parking, or I’ll have to relocate, which will cost jobs and money to the area.
“We’re at the heart of the community. A lot of our members go to Shawlands for coffees, haircuts, and something to eat, but that’ll stop because there will be nowhere to park. This is really upsetting and quite frightening.”
He argues that transport links to Shawlands are not as fast and reliable as elsewhere in the city.
“How are people going to get here? Shawlands will die.”
STV NewsHow much are the permits?
The council stated that the plans have been introduced in response to complaints about parking problems.
Permits for residents could cost between £80 and £220 per year, depending on the vehicle’s emissions.
There will also be spaces for disabled people, motorcycles, electric vehicles and Car Club vehicles.
Households with multiple vehicles would also face additional fees.
STV NewsA second permit would cost an additional £125, with a third adding £250.
Additional permits would incur an extra £375 each.
The council also plans to increase pay and display rates to £1.20 per 15 minutes, with vehicles limited to a three-hour stay.
If approved, the scheme would be introduced in phases in the 2025/26 financial year.
Parts of the city’s West End, including North Kelvin and Hillhead, already saw permits rise under similar measures which came into force earlier this year.
By law, any revenue raised from parking control zones must be reinvested in the zone’s own administration and maintenance. Excess can then go towards other roads, transport and environmental projects in the council area.
‘We feel picked on – we won’t accept it’
STV NewsJonny McDonald, who runs Brooklyn Cafe on Minard Road, says businesses have been “ignored” by the council throughout the process.
He argues Shawlands cannot be compared to the West End, where parking permits already operate.
“It’s very different. We don’t have a subway, we don’t have commuter routes that run across the city, and our public transport is linear north-south or east-west.
“We rely on staff and customers getting to the business via private transport.
“Staff can’t get to work on time using public transport – for some staff, that’s three hours for a commute, to go to the city centre, to go to Shawlands – two connected buses for a six-hour shift.”
Jonny fears they will lose both staff and customers.
STV News“We’re a destination business. People travel here in peak times; we don’t just get customers walking by.
“This produces problems for many of us, making it almost impossible just to carry on as they are.
“Most businesses will have to make drastic changes, and we’re not ready for that at short notice.”
He said he and other business owners have been campaigning “tirelessly” at their busiest time of the year – but claims the council have not been engaging enough with them.
“The consultation closes on Monday, and we still don’t have the answers we were looking for on November 11. We’ve been to drop-ins and not been able to get answers.
“We need to know what’s going on. They’ve been very difficult to work with.”
Jonny says businesses are now asking the public to sign an open letter to be hand-delivered to the City Chambers on December 15.
“We feel ignored, rejected, picked on and bullied – we’re just not going to accept that.”
‘It will kill Shawlands’
STV NewsOn the streets, reactions to the proposals have been mixed.
“It’ll kill Shawlands,” one man said. “It’s really hard to get enough to park at the moment, but introduce a charge, and it’ll kill it.
“They won’t come here for entertainment if they can’t park their car.”
Another local acknowledged it might not be popular, but that the council may need it to generate funding for the area.
“Yes and no,” another woman said. “It has to happen. This is probably a way for them to find some income.
“It’s very difficult to park because there are more cars on the road.”
STV NewsA spokesman for the council said: “As a local authority, we do not have an obligation to provide parking spaces for vehicles, but we are responsible for managing parking once it becomes an issue.
“The messages we receive from elected members, community council and residents is that parking in Shawlands, Battlefield and Strathbungo can be a problem.
“Our own observations of parking in these areas confirms there is an issue that requires to be addressed.
“The introduction of parking zones in other parts of the city have proven to be successful.
“Better management of parking reduces the risk of obstructions and makes access to streets easier for emergency services vehicles and refuse lorries.
“Parking controls also help to make streets safer for other types of road users and can help to improve local environments.
“These are initial plans, and so we do urge people to contribute to our survey as local knowledge will make a valuable contribution to the development of the final proposals.”
Feedback received by the council will be reviewed, and the proposals will be given further consideration before being released for a second round of public consultation next year.
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