THANKS to a proposed agreement between Fife Council and Stagecoach the £1 charge per car for use of the Halbeath Park and Ride facility, agreed by Cowdenbeath Area Committee, may not be needed.

Councillors on the Council's Assets, Property and Facilities Committee will next week consider a proposed agreement, between the local authority and Stagecoach East Scotland (SES), which will provide an alternative to the proposed £1 daily parking charge.

Approval has already been given by South and West Fife and Cowdenbeath Area Committees for Traffic Regulation Orders to apply a proposed £1 daily parking charge and also for the Ferry Toll facility. This would be used to offset future running costs associated with these facilities.

An approach was subsequently made by Stagecoach East Scotland (SES), who highlighted concerns over the proposed charges.

Derek Crowe, Roads and Transportation Senior Manager, said: "At an initial meeting we re-affirmed the need for the Council to recover the approved level of income to help cover the running costs of these facilities. SES indicated a willingness to work with us and explore alternative options to parking charges.

"We were able to develop a draft proposed agreement which will be put before councillors this week.

"It is our opinion that the proposed agreement reflects a good outcome for the Council, supporting sustainable transport and climate change adaptation policies."

The details of this agreement are commercially sensitive and the paper will be considered in private but councillors will be asked to approve a recommendation that the Head of Assets, Transportation and Environment and the Head of Legal Services will seek to conclude the proposed agreement in legally binding form on terms to their satisfaction.

Dunfermline and West Fife MP, Douglas Chapman, who represents Crossgates, Hill of Beath and Moss-side, welcomed the news saying: “There appears to be a deal on the table between Fife Council and Stagecoach East Scotland which would have the effect of nullifying or reducing the proposed £1 daily charge which the was in the Fife Council budget earlier in the year.

"I hope that councillors consider this agreement and reach a positive conclusion which would see the charge removed even before it was introduced.

“I met with Stagecoach earlier in the week and we discussed a range of matters including the Park and Ride issue. Clearly any proposed deal between the council and the bus operator is between them and is commercially sensitive, however, any move to nullify these charges while allowing Fife Council to maintain a position of balancing its budget, is a win-win for all concerned and, I am sure, will be welcomed by my constituents in Dunfermline and West Fife.”