Bad parking blitz nets £200,000 from fines

‘Rapid change in driver behaviour’ now wardens can give out £60 fines

A blitz on bad parking in Angus saw almost £200,000 worth of fines dished out in just three months.

Enforcement action will continue around “problem” town centres but will also expand into other areas such as around schools.

The enforcement of decriminalised parking came back to the streets of Angus in May following months of discussion with the Scottish Government.

Community wardens were given powers to give out £60 fines to inconsiderate Angus parkers — something that is said to have led to “a rapid change in driver behaviour”.

Councillors will discuss the issue at a meeting in Forfar tomorrow when resident parking permit systems will also be considered.

Almost £200,000 of penalty notices have been dished out to people parking cars in Angus in just three months.

The enforcement of decriminalised parking came back to the streets of Angus on May 8, following months of discussion with the Scottish Government.

Community wardens were given powers to issue £60 fines to people parking inconsiderably and the reintroduction of enforcement has resulted in “a rapid change in driver behaviour”.

Montrose SNP councillor Bill Duff said: “The parking situation in the town centre in Montrose is much better with plenty of spaces now available and an eradication of anti-social parking.

“The work of council wardens has been praised by the public and it’s nice to get thanks from the public rather than brickbats. There are calls from the public to lengthen the period allowed from 30 minutes and I’m supportive of this being examined by officers.”

Angus Council hoped the introduction of the decriminalised arrangement would help end the “free-for-all” in local burghs with long-standing criticism of drivers regularly parking for lengthy periods in time-limited on-street spaces and ignoring single or double yellow lines.

New figures – contained within a report to go before tomorrow’s policy and resources committee – show that

“The parking situation in the town centre in Montrose is much better with plenty of spaces now available and an eradication of anti-social parking. COUNCILLOR BILL DUFF

2,889 tickets were issued for on-street and 295 for off-street infringements in the first three months.

Ian Cochrane, head of technical and property services at Angus Council, said the introduction of decriminalised parking enforcement is a success.

He said there is now a higher turnover of spaces to park in high streets and a reduction of inappropriate parking in disabled bays and on double and single yellow lines.

Mr Cochrane added that enforcement action will continue around problem town centres and will expand into other areas, including work with Police Scotland to look at specific problem areas such as schools.

Meanwhile, extending the 30 minute parking time limits is under consideration as part of the potential for charging for public parking.

Resident parking permit systems are also being considered given the potential demand for parking spaces on both town centres and some residential areas and the additional revenue burden on the council.

Mr Cochrane said: “There is both a physical cost to establishing residential parking zones in terms of orders, signage and lining that require renewing, and a cost to administer the scheme to deal with applications, permits and enforcement.

“There would be a new administrative burden on the council to manage a permit system requiring entitlement checks and annual renewal.”

The introduction of decriminalised parking enforcement was intended to assist with traffic management in Angus towns, to encourage free flow of traffic and improve road safety, especially for pedestrians and vulnerable groups, to improve servicing for local shops and assist with promoting the economic viability of town centres by increasing the turnover of parked cars.

gstrachan@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: Jake Keith. A parking ticket is handed out in Keptie Street, Arbroath.