Glasgow city centre council car parks to be free at weekends in December
Council leader Ricky Bell says five large council-run car parks will be free on Saturdays and Sundays in the run-up to Christmas, and that parking charges will be frozen next year.
A multi-storey car park in Glasgow city centre. Five large council-run car parks will be free on Saturdays and Sundays in December. · Photograph: Thomas Nugent (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Parking at five large council-run car parks in Glasgow city centre will be free on Saturdays and Sundays throughout December 2026, council leader Ricky Bell has announced.
Mr Bell also said parking charges in the city will be frozen next year, the Glasgow Times reports.
Which car parks are free?
The offer applies to five large car parks run by the council's City Parking arm. The Glasgow Times report does not list the five by name; the council is expected to confirm them before December.
Why is the council doing this?
Mr Bell says the price of parking has been set too high. "In a cost-of-living crisis, the cost of getting around town can be a barrier to folk accessing the town for shopping or a night out," he said.
He added: "We need to put our hands up when we've not got something quite right – and I think we've pitched the price of parking in the city centre too high. I'm committed to not raising parking costs in the city centre for the next couple of years – but I want to do more."
Mr Bell, who became council leader in September, was due to announce the move at the State of the City Economy conference in Glasgow.
Does it apply to private car parks?
No. The free parking applies only to council-owned car parks, but Mr Bell said he is urging private operators to match the council's offer.
What happens next?
Free weekend parking is due to start on the first weekend of December, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December. Several roads around Glasgow Green will be closed on 6 December for the Santa Dash.