Call for parking charges in city to be paused

Union says its wardens should be stood down

PARKING charges in Glasgow city centre should be scrapped and enforcement workers stood down during the new lockdown, a union rep has said.

Glasgow City Council suspended on- street fees during the initial lockdown last year to support key workers who needed to drive to their jobs.

David Hume, a GMB Scotland organiser, believes the charges should be paused again.

The union representative wants parking attendants – currently deemed key workers – to be taken off the streets to protect them from the spread of Covid- 19. Mr Hume said workers could pursue a collective dispute.

“The decision by Glasgow City Council to designate parking wardens key worker status while the city is in lockdown beggars belief,” he said.

“Businesses deemed non- essential are closed, footfall in the city centre is non- existent, yet these workers are being compelled to walk the streets in sub- zero temperatures with no access to welfare facilities.

“Parking charges should be suspended for the duration of the lockdown as they were in March last year.”

The GMB organiser said attendants often use facilities, such as toilets, in shops and cafes, which are now closed. His union represents the majority of parking attendants in council- owned City Parking.

A council spokesman said there are no plans to suspend on- street parking charges, but the situation is kept under review.

He said they had been suspended in the first lockdown to “offer support to key workers”.

“During the first lockdown, parking attendants were still required to undertake enforcement duties in relation to yellow lines and disabled parking bays,” the spokesman said.

“We are now following the current Scottish Government guidance which allows for people to leave home when their work cannot be done from home.

“With other workers in similar situations we anticipate there will still be demand for parking in the city centre, which will require to be managed through measures such as enforcement.”

He added risk assessments to ensure staff safety are regularly updated.

Mr Hume also said community enforcement officers had been told to work, identifying dog fouling and littering, even though fixed penalty notices are not being handed out.

A GMB member said: “We are being forced to attend work and have been given the task of driving about in a vehicle to identify dog fouling and littering, this task is not essential and should not be taking place in the current circumstances set out Scottish Government.

“Forcing staff to come in and carry out non- essential task in areas that are like a ghost town is not helping protect the NHS or save lives.”

A council spokeswoman said community enforcement officers currently have a public reassurance role while the issuing of fixed penalty notices is on hold.

“The services we deliver for the city are essential and the people of Glasgow rely on us,” she added. by the