Published Date: Aug 3rd, 2026
Visitors to Kirkcaldy town centre and customers of Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre will be able to enjoy up to four hours of free parking at Esplanade Car Parks A and B from 1 August 2026 until 31 March 2027.
The extended free parking trial aims to support town centre shoppers, visitors, leisure centre users and local businesses while providing more robust information on how parking arrangements influence how people travel to or visit the area.
The offer applies at both car parks, with standard charges resuming after the initial four hours. Updated tariffs and ticket machines will reflect the temporary change. All users will still be required to obtain a ticket from the machine to qualify for the free parking period.
The initiative is being funded with £12,000 from Kirkcaldy Area Committee's devolved parking allocation, together with £5,000 from Fife Sports and Leisure Trust.
A month-long free parking trial was carried out in March 2026. Feedback was positive but the trial didn't provide enough information to fully assess the impact on visitor numbers, parking usage and travel patterns. The longer trial will help gather more meaningful data over a wider range of seasons and visitor activity.
As part of the initiative, Fife Sports and Leisure Trust will continue to engage with residents and visitors about access to Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre and what improvements could encourage more frequent visits.
Both car parks are a short five-to-seven-minute walk from the High Street and leisure centre.
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."
