Four-hour parking stay limit rolls back into Falkirk retail park from Friday
Falkirk Central Retail Park has confirmed changes to its car park management which bosses claim will help improve traffic flow.
From Friday, March 27, a four-hour maximum stay will be reinstated across the retail park and managed using ANPR technology, which records vehicle entry and exit times.
A Falkirk Central Retail Park spokesperson said: "We’ve made this change to help improve traffic flow and make sure that shoppers have an enjoyable visit – whether doing the food shop or popping to the cinema.
"Four hours is much longer than the average stay for most of our shoppers, so the majority won't be affected at all. For those enjoying time at our leisure venues, it
takes just a moment to register for extended stays on tablets in their entrances."
The parking limit will apply across all parking areas, including those serving Cineworld, Dunelm, Smyths Toys and The Food Warehouse, as well as The Range, Currys, Tesco and Starbucks.
Pets at Home and Costa Coffee car park is managed by a separate system.
Blue Badge holders can continue to use the designated accessible parking spaces across the centre with no time limit applied when displaying a valid badge.
Staff working at retailers across the centre have been allocated a designated parking area – believed to be located at the rear of The Range – will be exempt from
the four-hour maximum stay when parked in this location.
This staff parking situation has led to concerns from some workers – who wished to remain anonymous – based at shops in the retail park.
One stated: “It has been reported the retail park management is proposing to move all staff parking to the isolated area beside The Range. Workers are being forced to comply with a policy that puts their physical safety at risk for the sake of the landlord's parking metrics.
“The area near The Range is particularly dark and secluded. Many of the shop workers start their shifts in the early hours or finish late at night. Forcing these
employees—many of whom are women—to walk the entire length of a deserted car park alone in the dark is a serious safety risk and shows a total lack of concern for their well-being."