No change to car park charging regime in Peebles

The Peebles Parking Working Group was set up following a decision in November 2019 by the Tweeddale Area Partnership to carry out a review of off-street parking in the town.

The group met 11 times taking contributions from groups and individuals in Peebles.

In the spring of 2023 parking surveying and face-to-face interviews were carried out on behalf of the group by Streetwise and an online Citizen Space consultation was carried out.

All of the data from these activities and minutes of all meetings are available on the Scottish Borders Council website.

At a meeting of the group last week a final set of recommendations was endorsed.

It was decided there would no immediate changes to the charging regime for the Neidpath, Kingsmeadows, Greenside or Swimming Pool car parks.

The Kingsmeadows car park is currently free all day, every day, as is the facility at Neidpath.

Meanwhile, the Swimming Pool unit has costs ranging from 50p for up to two hours to £5 for over six hours.

At the Greenside car park people have to pay from Monday to Saturday between 8.30am to 5.30pm, again ranging from 50p to £5.

It is also recommended that there should be improved signage at entrances (and possibly junctions) in the town, indicating the name, capacity and charging regime for all car parks. Consideration should be given to including information about the availability of public toilets at the Kingsmeadows and East Station car parks.

And for the benefit of residents there should be a promotional campaign to encourage the purchase of annual car parking passes which are available from Scottish Borders Council for £26 a year.

Meanwhile, a proposal to change the current charging regime in the East Station Car Park will be put to an online vote on Citizen Space, before a final decision is made at the next meeting of the group in October.

The proposal will be to change this from only charging on a Saturday to charging six days a week (Sunday excluded).