Traffic wardens set for return
Parking management and enforcement is to return across South Lanarkshire as the area’s high streets get moving again.
Parking in council car parks and spaces will remain free until further notice, but as part of plans to help the area recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, measures to encourage sensible parking are going to be eased back in.
From Monday, July 20, parking attendants will be issuing advice and warnings to drivers who park illegally.
Two weeks later, from Monday, August 3, full enforcement measures will be reintroduced, including fixed penalty notices.
Duke Street car park in Hamilton, which was closed during lockdown, has now reopened – again, with no parking charges at this time.
John Anderson, chair of Community and Enterprise Resources, said: “Our parking management operation, including parking charges and routine enforcement, was suspended on March 23 as the country entered lockdown.
“Now that our town centres and local businesses are getting back up and running, and with more traffic on the road, we need to make sure we keep our streets moving and ensure shoppers and others have a place to park.
“We have seen examples of inconsiderate and illegal parking during lockdown but we can’t let this continue. So initially parking attendants will be issuing polite warning notices to those who break parking regulations, then from August 3 we will return to normal enforcement, including fixed penalties.
“It’s worth noting that many other councils have already reintroduced parking charges or are planning to do so. But we will not do that until there has been a full assessment of the likely impact on the two town centres where we currently have charges, in East Kilbride and Hamilton.”
Even during lockdown the council has had the facility to take action against serious indiscriminate parking, and this will continue to be dealt with using appropriate powers even during the initial phases of the plan.
The phased measures were agreed last Wednesday at the first meeting of the council’s Recovery Board, made up of representatives of all five political groups and senior officers.
The board also heard that outstanding parking fines had not been pursued during lockdown, and agreed that debt recovery should now recommence. The board was told that during lockdown employees from the council’s Parking Unit had assisted in prescription and food deliveries to vulnerable individuals, and more recently had provided support during the reopening of the area’s recycling centres.
Councillor Anderson added: “We would ask everyone to park safely and responsibly, respecting our parking management employees as they assist in helping our town centre and communities recover.”