PARKING charges will come into effect at Glasgow’s Pollok Country Park ahead of the reopening of the Burrell Collection.

Motorists will be charged for parking in areas close to both the Burrell Collection and Pollok House and the fees will be in place from Monday, March 7.

The parking charged are to be introduced by Glasgow City Council and coincide with an anticipated increase in visitor numbers to the park in the city’s south side as the world-renowned Burrell Collection prepares to reopen its doors following a £69million refurbishment.

Parking charges have been in operation for some time at other city tourist attractions including the Riverside Museum of Transport and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

The charges will apply 10am-6pm Monday to Sunday and it will be £2.50 for four hours; £4.50 all day. Kelvingrove Museum and Riverside Museum car parks are £1.60 per hour for the first five hours; £10 all day.

 

The Burrell Collection is due to reopen in March

The Burrell Collection is due to reopen in March

Read more: Glasgow's Buchanan Galleries could be 'demolished' to create urban neighbourhood

Council bosses say motorists will still be able to park in the grounds in designated car parks, but are encouraging people to think about more sustainable modes of transport to make their journey to the park.

A free shuttle bus will also be available and will link the key points in the park from the Burrell Collection to Pollok House, which is operated by the National Trust for Scotland.

With rail links from the city centre to Pollokshaws West and plans to improve cycling routes to Pollok Country Park, it is hoped people will rethink their travel plans to the location with alternatives to driving.

One of the stops for the free shuttle bus will be located just inside the park close to the Pollokshaws Road entrance and will continue in a loop throughout the park. Cars will also be banned from driving through the tree lined avenue which links the Burrell and Pollok House and it is hoped it will offer a better experience for people as they discover the park. However, provision is made within all this for blue-badge parking.

Planning permission for the active travel plan was granted in November 2020, and included the electric shuttle bus service and alterations to entry and exit routes.

 

Parking fees are already in place at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Parking fees are already in place at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Read more: Scotland's Covid memorial: Pollok House could be key location for discovery

It was intended to encourage users of the park to arrive either via public transport or on foot or by bike under an active travel management scheme.

A new car park will be located to the edge of Pollok Country Park as part of the active travel management scheme with a new entrance formed at the existing Haggs Road junction with Shawmoss Road.

The car park, which will include 20 cycle spaces, will be created on a former hockey pitch at Nether Pollok.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “As part of the reopening of the Burrell collection, there has been a huge amount of work to improve the visitor experience at Pollok Country Park.

“Feedback from park users clearly identified traffic and car parking as a problem in Pollok Country Park and the new arrangements in the park seek to address those issues.

“The park is closed to through traffic to allow the central-avenue to become more pedestrian friendly and we hope visitors will use a free electric shuttle bus to access the park’s main visitor attractions.

“A pick-up point for the shuttle bus at the entrance to the park will be just yards from the nearby Pollokshaws West train station.”

The spokesman stressed car parking will still be available next to the Burrell but parking charges will be applied to manage the use of these spaces.

He added: “The use of parking charges is intended to encourage visitors to use the sustainable forms of transport that are available to get to the park.”

The Herald is currently leading a campaign to create I remember: Scotland’s Covid memorial.

Glasgow City Council generously stepped forward to with the offer of hosting the memorial within the grounds of the park. It is proposed that the £233,500 project will involve several focal points all linked by the idea of a memorial walk.