Published Date: Jun 19th, 2026
Kirkcaldy Area councillors have agreed to reinstate the trial offering free parking in parts of Kirkcaldy town centre.
The trial will provide up to four hours of free parking at Esplanade car parks A and B from 1 August 2026 until 31 March 2027 for visitors to the town centre and customers of Kirkcaldy leisure centre. It builds on a previous one‑month trial in March, which saw more than 1,400 free parking sessions.
Both Esplanade car parks are a 5 to 7 minute walk from the High Street and the leisure centre, making them a convenient option for quick trips, shopping, workouts, or family activities.
Feedback from leisure centre users showed strong support, with many saying that free or discounted parking would encourage them to visit more often.
After the first four hours, standard parking charges will apply. Tariff boards and ticket machines will show the updated information. All users will still need to collect a ticket from the machine to qualify for the free two hours.
Reinstating the trial and running it over a longer period will help the Council gather more detailed information on how free parking supports the town centre, local services and residents. This will help inform future decisions.
The cost to run the trial is approximately £17,000 with just over £12,000 being funded from Kirkcaldy Area Committee’s budget allocation for devolved parking initiatives and approximately £5,000 from Fife Sports and Leisure Trust.
Convener of the Kirkcaldy Area Committee, Cllr Ian Cameron, said: “Making it easier and more affordable for people to visit Kirkcaldy town centre is really important and is something we, as local councillors, are asked about a lot.
“This trial, supported in partnership with Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, will now offer up to four hours of free parking, giving people more time to enjoy everything the town centre and leisure facilities have to offer.
“It will run through to the end of the financial year, allowing us to gather more detailed insight into how free parking can support local services, businesses and residents. It’s about testing options so we can make the right long-term decisions.”
Fife Sport and Leisure Trust, Chief Executive, Emma Walker, said: "We are pleased to support this extended trial, which aims to make it easier for people to access Kirkcaldy town centre and Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre.
Making physical activity accessible is an important part of improving community health and wellbeing, and this trial will help us better understand the role parking can play in supporting visits to local facilities and encouraging people to be more active.
We are pleased to be working in partnership with Fife Council to gather valuable insight that will help inform future decision-making."
