Parking row erupts in Inveralmond
Business say they are losing out on trade
Businesses on the Inveralmond Industrial Estate say parking issues are costing them money.
A number of owners claim they are losing out on customers because the roads around them become blocked by delivery lorries and cars parking on the pavements in Ruthvenfield Place.
The group say they have lost out on valuable trade, and are calling for plans to introduce double yellow lines on the road to be made a priority. They also want members of the public to think more considerately when parking in the estate.
Alan King from Bookers Car Wash on Ruthvenfield Place, says he lost out on around £30,000 in trade last year because customers could not get to his business.
He said: “We are losing out on money because too many delivery lorries are parked up on the road. No one can get passed because they are uplifting their deliveries onto the pavement.
“I am losing a fortune because customers can’t get in and then they drive away. It is just ridiculous.”
The complaints were echoed by Haldane Lindsay from neighbouring H and H Construction. He said: “There is a safety issue here having so many HGVs unloading onto a public road.
“This has been going on for years and we are getting fed up. We need to put a stop to the road being blocked.”
Brian Meddicks from Meddicks Blacksmiths added he is concerned the situation could lead to a serious accident. He said: “We are finding it hard to conduct our business because of the HGVs, no one can get up and down the pavement. It is only a matter of time till there is a serious accident.
“Someone is certainly going to get hurt, because people with push chairs can’t get past and they have to go out onto the road. Accidents have already happened.”
Many of the grievances were directed at Highland Industrial Supplies (HIS), which is also based on Ruthvenfield Place. The businesses say delivery lorries for the firm are often seen unloading onto the public road rather than in a designated area.
However, Ian Young from HIS defended his company, and said: “There is no issue at all. The claims are absolute nonsense.
“The guys are concerned about access and the road being blocked off, but the public can park there too because there are no double yellow lines. The bottom line is we can’t control drivers who park outside, but we can control delivery lorries coming in to unload, which we do.
“A lot of the public go down there and park to go and walk their dogs, so sometimes it is the public who are parking there.”
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council confirmed it is in the process of introducing parking restrictions to Ruthvenfield Place. problems on Ruthvenfield Place, (left) Frustrated Business owners Alan King and Brian Meddicks say they are losing out on trade