Businesses in Stirling have hit out at the council after parking charges were increased across the city.
On some streets, parking charges have nearly doubled – a move independent business owners think will harm footfall.
All-day parking at the Wellgreen multi-storey has shot up from £2.30 to £4 while parking at the Forthside car park has increased from £2.10 to £4.
Just outside the city centre all-day Zone D parking, which includes Wallace Street, Queen Street and Victoria Square, has increased from £3.40 to £5.
Parking for 30 minutes in Zone A – including Upper Craigs and Baker Street – has remained at £0.90.
The changes came into place on Monday.
Business owners hit out at parking increase in Stirling city centre
Mark Ritchie, owner of Ginger Roots of Port Street, said: “We’ve already had four or five customers complain about the new charges.
“It’s hardly encouraging people into the city centre.
“We were previously told it’s the council’s job to bring people into the city centre, and our job to bring them into the shops.
“This just shows there’s no real intention of doing that.”
New parking charges ‘don’t make any sense’
Jen McEwan, owner of Clan Artisan, added: “It just doesn’t make any sense and it’s definitely going to affect footfall.
“No one is going to come into the centre if they can’t just nip in and the nearby parking costs as much as it does.
“Customers also used to be able to park in our loading bay for 10 minutes but now nobody is allowed to park unless they have a work van.
“The car park I use has nearly doubled in price, it’s just going to put people off.”
Other independent businesses hit out at the new parking prices on social media.
Go Forth Stirling to ‘monitor footfall’ in city centre
Danielle McRorie-Smith, project director of Go Forth Stirling BID, said: “The new charges may not be viable for some staff members, who need to pay for all-day parking.
“Business owners are also worried about the potential impact on shoppers and visitors.”
A Stirling Council spokesperson emphasised that the authority had to address a £16.3m shortfall in the 2024-25 budget.
They added: “The price for an all-day off-street parking ticket in Stirling city centre is £4 per day, compared to between £5.50-£12.30 in other similar sized Scottish cities.
“Residents and visitors can also use the option of weekly, four weekly and annual season tickets in many areas to increase choice and cost-effectiveness.
A full list of parking charges can be found on the Stirling City Council website.
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