Parking flouters will be watched, warns the council
Car parking charges start up again on Saturday, with irresponsible motorists who clog up streets and snatch priority spaces being warned they are being watched.
As of July 11, Argyll and Bute Council parking wardens will be back out on the streets to enforce parking charges and to keep an eye out for anyone breaking the rules.
‘To help support communities as a result of irresponsible parking in recent weeks and to ensure priority parking spaces are maintained, wardens will be actively monitoring our road network and car parks,’ said a council spokesperson.
Argyll and Bute Council reinvests the money it makes on parking in front line services, including car parks and roads maintenance.
In May, a report to the council’s business continuity committee (BCC) predicted parking charges could plunge by £150,000 due to Covid and that income from public toilets would be hit too.
Oban South and the Isles councillor Roddy McCuish said he would like to have seen parking charges kept on hold until the country was in phase four of Scotland’s route map through Covid.
‘I fully understand the council’s position on charging for car parking as they have a big black hole in their budget that has to be filled every single way, but I would rather it had been left until we were in stage four of the route map, when we would be in a far better position to see how the economy is coping and that the town is getting back on its feet,’ he said.
Councillor Jim Lynch for Oban South and the Isles agreed and said: ‘I’d rather have seen the council hold fire on charges until we were further on. We need to do what we can to encourage people back into the town to support businesses right now.’
Councillor McCuish also criticised the council as ‘insensitive’ for using the Corran Halls car park like a showroom, parking six new electric cars that are joining its green fleet.
‘It was insensitive to say the least – sorry to hear you’ve lost your job but look at our smart new cars. I think seeing those cars lined up as if at a car showroom will have annoyed a few people,’ he said.
On Friday the latest easing of some lockdown restrictions also saw some public toilets reopening.
North Pier toilets in Oban were among the first of a phased move to have their doors unlocked. Ganavan toilets and the ones at Craignure on Mull were also due to open this week.
‘This phased approach will enable the council to keep both customers and staff safe, and
‘We need to do what we can to encourage people back to town.’
provide an enhanced cleaning regime during the summer period. The council is providing additional funding to provide the added cleanliness and will review this adjusted model in August,’ added the council spokesperson.
But it has come with another warning that the public toilets ‘will only remain open with the cooperation and responsible use by the public’.
From Wednesday July 15 , the public toilets opening include Ellenabeich, Port Appin, Cuan Ferry, North Lismore, South Lismore, Fionnphort, Iona, Lochgilphead, Ardrishaig, Tarbert, Campbeltown, Islay, Jura, Coll and Tiree. As facilities start to open again, the council is urging people to continue to act responsibly and follow government advice in order to avoid a second wave of Covid-19 and potentially the return of lockdown measures.
Advice includes avoiding busy popular beauty spots, staying two metres apart, do not meet up in large groups and keep washing hands regularly.