Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Councillors back calls for problem parking action
Coatbridge residents battling against dangerous and inconsiderate parking in their increasingly congested area have earned a victory as councillors backed their calls for action to be taken.
Nearly 200 people signed a petition asking North Lanarkshire Council to place yellow lines on corners of roads including Dunbeth Avenue and Kildonan, Portland, Laird, Eglinton and Park Streets to deter inconsiderate parking, including by visitors to nearby New College Lanarkshire.
Roads officials had recommended that no action be taken – but councillors on the infrastructure committee unanimously rejected their report and called for a plan of action including enforceable road markings.
Ward councillor Allan Stubbs of the SNP described the chaotic parking as “an absolute disaster”, while neighbouring Coatbridge representative Tom Castles, the Labour depute provost, highlighted the dangers for youngsters attending surrounding schools and nurseries.
Petition organiser Isabella Andrews had told the Advertiser in October how vehicles parking on corners and junction lines cause severe congestion, block residents into and out of their driveways and create concern about access if required for emergency vehicles, as well as causing difficulty for wheelchair users and prams.
Councillor Stubbs sided with the residents, telling this week’s meeting: “There’s serious action required in that area – it’s an absolute nightmare.
“People are at their wits’ end asking for enforceable lines, community officers are spending time walking round the college telling people to move their cars, and crossing patrollers at the schools are taking their lives in their hands.
“I’ve had numerous meetings with police and college staff about this area; it’s not just parking on the corners that’s an issue, although the advisory lines haven’t materialised.
“We should reject the report and do what it takes, coming back here with white lines, a traffic regulation order or whatever is needed. What do we have to wait for?”
Councillor Castles joined him in opposing the report’s recommendations, saying: “This is beyond selfish parking.
“Vehicles have started to park on the corner of junctions – you can’t see unless you’re already out into the road, and for accidents in that area to be nothing to do with parking I find difficult to believe.”
He added: “There are young children being brought to the schools and nurseries in the area and making their own way who are having increased difficulty in crossing the road.
“There are 4x4s parked at angles so they’re blocking two roads, and cars across the main entrance to Dunbeth Park so people can’t get in with wheelchairs or prams.
“Requesting that lines be painted on the corners doesn’t sound like much, but it’s something residents have been asking for over a long time. It’s a long process but the issues have to be worked around, whether it’s double yellow lines or now talking about traffic wardens.”
Officials had recommended that no action be taken, with their report saying road injury accident records “indicate that on-street parking is not a contributory factor to any accidents in this area [and] this road is not contained in the list of priority sites for investigation”.
They added that dangerous or obstructive parking is a police matter and that “the introduction of restrictions would likely cause migration of parking to other residential streets, and would have an impact on residents and visitors to those streets.” However, infrastructure convener Michael McPake, also a Coatbridge councillor, agreed with his fellow local representatives, saying: “There’s a case for doing something here; it’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
The issue will now be re-examined – including discussions over enforcement action and “joinedup working with police”, who would be required to address obstructive or dangerous parking – with options ns being brought back before a future committee meeting.
Isabella had written along with the petition: “Our experience has been that the police require enforceable lines; so we’re all left wondering exactly who is actually going to do something to make our streets safer?
“It’s been going on for the past two years and has become a ludicrous and unacceptable situation. [A] tragic situation may not be that far away”
She told the Advertiser this week: “I’m pleased councillors have agreed that something needs to be done; now we need more meat on the bones as the parking in the area is still really bad.” ● Turn to page nine for traffic warden update