Normal service resuming at council car parks

Motorists have been told to prepare for parking measures to return to normal.

Council car parks will remain free to use at present, but as part of plans to help the area recover, South Lanarkshire Council has announced it intends to ease in measures to encourage sensible parking.

The local authority is also intending to chase up any outstanding fines from before the coronavirus occurred.

From Monday, parking attendants will be issuing advice and warnings to drivers who park illegally.

Then from August 3, enforcement measures will be reintroduced, including fixed penalty notices.

Councillor John Anderson, chairman of community and enterprise resources, said: “We need to make sure we keep our streets moving and shoppers and others have a place to park.

“We have seen examples of inconsiderate and illegal parking but can’t let this continue.

“So, initially parking attendants will be issuing polite warning notices to those who break parking regulations, then from August 3 we will return to normal enforcement, including fixed penalties.

“It’s worth noting that many other councils have already reintroduced parking charges . But we will not do that until there has been an assessment of the likely impact on the two town centres where we currently have charges, East Kilbride and Hamilton.”

During lockdown the council has had the facility to take action against serious indiscriminate parking, and this will continue to be dealt with using appropriate powers even during the initial phases of the plan.

The phased measures were agreed on Wednesday at the first meeting of the council’s Recovery Board. The board also heard that outstanding parking fines had not been pursued during lockdown, and agreed that debt recovery should now recommence.

The board was told that during lockdown employees from the council’s Parking Unit had assisted in prescription and food deliveries to vulnerable individuals, and provided support during the reopening of the area’s Civic Amenity sites.

Councillor Anderson added: “We ask everyone to park safely and responsibly, respecting our parking management employees as they assist in helping our town centres and communities recover.”