G4S settle deal with council bosses to end court parking row

Criminal transport firm allowed to use area at side of court

Security firm G4S has struck a deal with council chiefs to end a long-standing parking row at Perth Sheriff Court.

Traffic wardens repeatedly ticketed the firm’s custody van after it started parking illegally on a pavement beside the court building.

Bosses said they were forced to leave their vehicle at the South Street entrance after a dispute with Perth and Kinross Council.

The company, which transports some of the country’s most dangerous criminals, said a special dispensation to park at the back of the court, in a council-run car park, was brought to an end.

It emerged the move followed complaints about G4S repeatedly parking or blocking disability zones.

A spokesman said it needed to park on South Street to be as close as possible to the side door – leading directly to the cells – to protect staff, prisoners and members of the public.

Now, following talks with council officers, G4S said a compromise had been reached.

The company’s prisoner escorting operations director Willie Galloway said: “We have reached a financial agreement with Perth and Kinross Council that will allow G4S vehicles to use a parking area at the side of the court, with a secondary area available when additional vehicles are required.

“This solution should ensure that any disruption to the public car parking area is kept to a minimum.”

Last year, G4S was reprimanded by a judge after running up parking fines and trying to use them to cut its tax bill.

The firm claimed parking fines were a legitimate business expense, as it tried to keep staff safe by parking as near to premises as possible, sometimes on pavements.

But Judge Anne Scott ruled that G4S staff had “consciously and deliberately decided to break parking restrictions for commercial gain” and blocked the firm from claiming fines as an expense.

A council spokeswoman confirmed a deal had been made with the security firm.

“We can confirm that the council has reached an agreement on an appropriate parking arrangement with G4S for prisoner transport to and from Perth Sheriff Court, which will minimise any impact on public parking provision,” she said.

It is understood the council was forced to act after complaints from a solicitor about G4S using disabled parking bays.

This solution should ensure that any disruption to the public car parking area is kept toa minimum. WILLIE GALLOWAY FROM G4S

Picture: Steve MacDougall. Traffic wardens repeatedly ticketed the firm’s custody van when it was parked illegally on a pavement.