Councillors are expected to give controversial plans for Sunday parking charges the go ahead at a meeting next week.
Members of Fife Council’s executive committee will be asked to rubber-stamp changes to traffic regulation orders (TROs) to allow the introduction of charges at metered on-street and off-street parking places on Sundays across the region when they meet on Tuesday.
The move has prompted concern among some who fear charges might deter people from visiting town centres on Sundays, but Fife Council believe around £200,000 per year in income could be achieved.
If it gets the go ahead, The Courier understands charging on Sundays could begin as early as November.
A report by Ken Gourlay, head of assets, transportation and environment, will outline options open to councillors in relation to Sunday charging, although officials are recommending the introduction of Sunday charges all day.
“Demand for parking within our town centres on Sunday is generally like any other day of the week, with Sunday trading now commonplace,” he said.
“Given this level of demand and the need to safeguard access to our centres for shoppers, businesses and visitors, it is appropriate to charge for car parking on Sundays.”
A total of 76 objections have been lodged, described as a “small” number “relative to the overall population in Fife” in Mr Gourlay’s report, and these will be considered on Tuesday.
Many of them focus on the potential impact on churches, with 11 of the 20 churches across Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy and St Andrews within charged parking areas lodging formal opposition to the plans.
With that in mind, councillors could decide to adjust the charged time period to start after 1pm which would mean church congregations and others would not be subject to parking charges on a Sunday morning but shoppers and visitors on Sunday afternoons would.
Dundee City Council currently charge for parking after 1pm on Sundays, while Edinburgh has recently agreed to do likewise. Private car parks in the two cities currently charge all day on Sundays.