A public meeting has unanimously rejected controversial council plans to charge West End residents £80 a year to park outside their homes.
More than 30 people turned out for last night’s meeting of West End Community Council and not one of them indicated support when the chairman asked for a show of hands.
A second vote for community councillors saw all 10 at the meeting reject the scheme, which could cost half a million pounds to set up.
The city council’s head of transportation, Neil Gellatly, was at the meeting to answer questions about the proposal, aimed at easing congestion in Perth Road, Blackness Road and Roseangle.
He said: ”It would cost £400,000 to £500,000 over five years for signs, lines and two to three additional parking attendants.
”We estimate 1,000 people will buy permits, which will bring in £80,000 per year, covering these costs over the five years.”
However, Brian Cram, who runs a business in Bellfield Street, told Mr Gellatly: ”The whole idea doesn’t make sense and the numbers show that.
”There are far more than 1,000 people with cars in the area. I just think you should do something else.”
Alan Kelly, who said he has lived in Osborne Place for more than 30 years, added: ”None of my friends and neighbours asked for this and we don’t want to pay.”
Speaking after the meeting, West End Community Council chairman Andrew McBride described the plan as a ”non-starter”.
He said: ”It was quite obvious to me what the general opinion is. A substantial majority are against it.”
Councillor Fraser McPherson, a former transportation convener who represents the West End ward, said he can ”see the way the wind is blowing”.
”I’ve been contacted proactively by about 120 people and none of them want to pay,” he said.
”I don’t want to prejudge the consultation but I don’t want this imposed on them.”
Councillor Richard McCready declared an interest because he lives in the area which could be zoned for charges. However, he said: ”Like Fraser, I don’t want to prejudge the consultation but I can also sense the way the wind is blowing.
”Whatever people in the West End say, it would be foolhardy to go against that.”
The city council is currently conducting a consultation that is due to close on Friday December 21.
Mr Gellatly said: ”We’ve already had a public exhibition, we’ve written to 7,000 addresses and there’s been a lot of information online.
”This is the most intensive consultation I’ve done and I’m pleased that there have been hundreds of responses.
”Tonight’s meeting was a thought-provoking exercise and the perfect forum to hear views.
“It’s important to remember that it’s a proposal. It has no status in terms of a formal traffic order and there is still time to submit a view.”
When the consultation closes Mr Gellatly will write a report, which he said is likely to come before councillors for a decision ”in the spring”.
He added: ”We’re going into this with an open mind and we will, of course, reflect what people have told us.”