COUNCIL REJECT SNP PROPOSAL FOR £3 CAP ON DAY-PARKING AT ARROCHAR LANDMARK

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The ruling Tory/LibDem Council administration at Argyll and Bute have today rejected the SNP Council group proposal to cap an eye-watering 800% rise in daily-rate charges to a more reasonable £3 per day, in a bid to protect the popularity of national landmark “The Cobbler”.

Despite 4000 signatories opposing the drastic hike in parking charges, Argyll and Bute’s Tory/LibDem administration dismissed the SNP motion to limit parking fees, an increase which the SNP group say were never disclosed in any detail during budget negotiations.

The Motion was led by local SNP Councillor Shonny Paterson for Lomond North and SNP Depute Leader Councillor Lorna Douglas in response to a public outcry at the sudden hike in parking charges.

Responding, Councillor Shonny Paterson said:

“This is a major disappointment for the landmark and the people who come to enjoy the great outdoors around the Arrochar Alps”

“Deterring tourists and local visitors from spending time in this beautiful part of Scotland is illogical and potentially detrimental”

“The Tory / LibDem decision is sending all the wrong signals to the recent boost in visitor numbers to Argyll and Bute.”

SNP Depute Leader, Councillor Lorna Douglas for Helensburgh Central commented:

“All we asked for was a cap of £3 on the daily parking charge at the Arrochar car parks, bringing them more in line with other hill walking car parks such as Ben Lomond at £3 and Ben Nevis £4.”

“The Tory/LibDem administration councillors have missed the point of our motion. Worse, their numbers just don’t add up. There was no detail in the budget proposals and no breakdown of specific revenues generated from the car park, or the average time spent by visitors. This vast increase is just an arbitrary number”

“No forecasting or detailed assessment of the income from the Arrochar carparks was available, if they don’t know even the basics, how can they possibly forecast revenues in the future?”

“The budget proposals earlier in the year set the parking rise at 3%, there was no detail of this 800% rise. There has been no impact assessment done on the Arrochar car parks. This hike seems to have been simply pulled out of a hat.”

“Worse still, the Tory/LibDem administration councillors just don’t seem to understand the distinction between an urban or rural carpark. The two are not the same”.

“I am deeply concerned that this ill-conceived and illogical hike in charges could have a detrimental impact on visitors to our beautiful constituency. If the administration can’t get the basics like carpark charging right then I have serious cause for concern”.