At Random
Unjustified price rise for parking
I WENT along to Argyll and Bute Council’s offices in Albany Street last week to renew my annual resident’s parking permit.
First, let me stress that the staff could not have been more helpful or pleasant, and processed my application quickly and without any fuss.
But I was in for a nasty shock. Last year’s cost of £80 for the year has rocketed up to £95.
By my calculations, that is getting on for a 20 per cent surge in price.
How does the council justify that? Has the parking provision improved so drastically that it is now worth 20 per cent more?
I can assure you it has not. In fact, during the high tourist season – which these days stretches for months and well beyond the traditional school holiday period – it can be impossible to find a space anywhere near where I live.
And, by the way, paying up front in advance does not guarantee a space at all. Nor does it include any off-street car parks. It is purely for a on-street spaces in a limited number of streets as the permits are zoned.
I wouldn’t mind paying extra if I was sure of getting space but I’m very far from sure I’ll get parked at all.
Danger on the road
I KNOW I’m not alone in being concerned about the amount of standing water on the A85 alongside Loch Awe.
This stretch of road always has a number dangerous floods every time there is a spell of wet weather - which is hardly a rare occurrence in these parts.
Indeed, I was given a resounding ear-bashing recently by a friend who had just travelled back to Oban from Glasgow and traversed the route heading west from the village of Lochawe on a thoroughly wet day.
Allan said he hit standing water in several places and at times it was so deep it threw his car off the straight line it should have taken. And, he assures me, he had slowed down to a measured speed because of the water.
I’ve had the same experience on many occasions and it can be very frightening.
Allan said he fears it is only a matter of time until the flooding on this stretch causes a serious accident. I agree.
It can’t be beyond the wit of the relevant authority to put better drainage in place at these flooding black-spots to prevent a major accident on this main road.
Go Knoydart
ONE highlight of the year is always the MG Alba Trad Music Awards.
And this year has thrown up what was, for me at least, one surprise - though very welcome nomination.
Accessible only by boat or an 18-mile hike over the hills sits the whitewashed 1950s brickbuilt, steel-windowed Knoydart Community Hall which has been shortlisted in the Venue of the Year category.
David Newton, project manager for the Knoydart Community Hall, admits that this is an exciting nomination and a validation of tons of volunteer effort. He said: ‘Small communities can be socially isolated but the music events we put on at the hall help bring conviviality and culture to the heart of the community.’
Knoydart hall has become popular with trad fans and last year it live-streamed the awards. This year will see a bit of Knoydart travel to the trads, being held in Paisley on December 2, as they join three other contenders for the title of Venue of the Year.
It is a remarkable achievement whether it wins or not - for such a remote venue to have earned such high plaudits. I sincerely hope Knoydart gets the nod - for overcoming such enormous geographical isolation, if nothing else. WRITE to me at mlaing@obantimes.co.uk or The Oban Times, Crannog Lane, Oban, PA34 4 HB.
What do you think?