MEANIE STREETS
Political and trade outrage
As our main town stands on the brink, traffic wardens are blitzing the streets handing out tickets.
Traders and politicians have now called for the ‘Blue Meanies’ to be transformed into welcome ambassadors.
And parking charges to be SCRAPPED . . . instead of discouraging people to come back.
We followed the South Ayrshire Council wardens and watched as they slapped tickets on many windscreens.
The owner of a yellow Lamborghini Huracan Spyder (inset) narrowly missed a penalty. Council top brass claim they are only homing in on key junctions and disabled bays.
But businessman Tommy McMillan said: “That is rubbish, they have already been on my back.
“In this unprecedented time, what they are doing is simply wrong.”
MSP John Scott is calling for the £30 penalties to be scrapped and the wardens re-directed to help people
shop.
He said: “With many local traders struggling to get back on their feet for some difficult months ahead, the last thing we need is to put barriers in the path of people wanting to make use of our town centres.
“My view is that parking charges should be scrapped until our local economy has recovered and that the parking enforcement officers should in the meantime be given a new role of acting as ambassadors, meeting, greeting and assisting visitors to our local town centres and promoting what’s on offer locally.
“We need to put out a welcome mat for shoppers and visitors, not the threat of a parking fine.”
News of the return of the wardens was revealed by Council Chief Executive Eileen Howat in an update.
She would ultimately have sanctioned the move, though the Council’s spokesman refused to confirm it.
Howat wrote: “Parking enforcement will phase back in from Monday 29 June. Parking attendants will initially focus their attention on critical areas including: junctions, disabled bays and known hot spots where inconsiderate and illegal parking can cause serious disruption.
“Normal enforcement duties, including on and off-street pay and display car parks, will restart on Monday 6 July.”
Tommy McMillan runs the L&T Decor firm with his wife Lillian in Dalblair Road and could not believe the decision.
He said: “I have already had a ding-dong with one warden.
“I have parked outside my shop for 24 years just to open up. He took pleasure in asking if it was my car, despite knowing fine well it was.
“He said they were back ticketing and just to warn me. The town is in real trouble at the moment - we need these guys to be with us, not against us.”
Wardens are also likely to be prowling Prestwick and Troon.
A Council spokesman said:“The parking attendants returned this week to put up signage and clean machines. At the moment they are only targeting irresponsible parking in loading bays, disabled bays and at junctions.
“Key worker virtual permits are still valid until the end of July. As businesses return, we have to ensure a turnover of vehicles to ensure adequate parking as vehicles are taking up spaces all day which impacts on business.”