parking

Information on the pavement parking ban

Constituents have been in touch seeking more detail about the Scotland-wide ban on pavement parking that launched last month.

The City Council’s Team Leader, Parking & Sustainable Transport has updated councillors as follows – but please get in touch if you have any further queries :

“The Scottish Government’s national prohibition on pavement parking, double parking and parking across dropped kerbs came into effect on 11th December 2023.

Dundee City Council has begun to issue Warning Notices to vehicles which are in contravention of the new rules. We will continue to issue warnings during December 2023 and January 2024 and this will serve to raise awareness of the new legislation prior to enforcement with penalty charge notices. The warning notices will be attached to windscreens like a formal PCN but will not include a financial penalty. Instead they will notify the driver that the current practice of pavement parking, double parking or parking across a dropped kerb is illegal and may result in a £100 fine (reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days).

The Scottish Government launched a national media campaign on 20th November 2023 to publicise the new legislation and this will be supplemented at a local level with further communications by Dundee City Council. A new Pavement Parking webpage with FAQs will be established on Dundee City Council’s website shortly.

Some residents may ask about exemptions, and specifically whether their street will be exempt from the ban. Dundee City Council has carried out a review of the local road network and consulted with elected members, emergency services, and bus operators on the roads that could be eligible for an exemption. Roads assessed as meeting the Transport Act’s exemption criteria were approved for inclusion in the promotion of an exemption order by the Council’s Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee on 25 September 2023 (Report 255-2023 refers).

Following completion of statutory consultations and public notices, any objections received to the Order will be reported back to Committee to decide whether to proceed with the Order as drafted. The exemption locations can be viewed at the following webpage – www.dundeecity.gov.uk/service-area/city-development/sustainable-transport-and-roads/pavement-parking-prohibition-exemption-orders

Once we begin full enforcement, requests for the attendance of Parking Attendants to any particular location can be sent to the parking enforcement supervisor who will then deploy staff to these locations where resources allow. Instructions for making enforcement requests will be provided in the FAQs.”

Dundee City Council slammed over parking complacency #dundeewestend

I have today slammed Dundee City Council for  a complacent and wholly unacceptable response to the recent residents’ parking consultation in the West End, Coldside and Maryfield.   

A report coming to the council’s City Development Committee on 7th March recommends no further consultation and no actions whatsoever to improve parking in the areas concerns which I feel is really utterly pathetic.

The council has decided to wash its hands on helping residents with the parking situation and on the back of a wholly inadequate online consultation process. Written responses from the public amounting to the grand total of only 50, 40 of which came from the West End – just 5 responses in each of the other two wards. Only 30 people took part in the council’s online consultation events. No surprise really as they were badly advertised and the engagement can be best described as a bit flat.

There are thousands of residents in the affected areas but the council gets paltry numbers taking part – it is entirely the council’s fault. The council has totally failed to consult properly and you cannot in all reasonableness draw conclusions about lack of support for tackling the parking issues on the back of such an utterly inadequate and half-baked consultation.

I will be opposing the recommendation to ditch the process and will be proposing further consultation with the community to get a better community consensus on ways to improve parking and assist residents to get parked far more easily nearer their homes, adding that commuter parking must be tackled for the benefit of the residents who live in the affected parts of the West End.

It is unacceptable that parking charges in local car parks were still being levied on residents with no permit scheme for residents living in the area.  I will make proposals to the City Development Committee to address this.

The council administration has shown no commitment or put in any energy to resolving the parking problems. The council cannot simply ditch the concerns of the community over the parking issue based on a half-baked so called ‘consultation’ with such pathetic levels of participation.

Taking action to get the council to remove controversial car parking charges #dundeewestend

Following my strong criticism of Dundee City Council’s lack of action to suspend parking charges in residential areas of the West End, despite the First Minister’s instruction to work from home if possible due to the latest COVID situation and the Omicron variant, I have now placed an item on next Monday’s council City Development Committee (24th January) to allow me to move that the charges are suspended meantime.

The council’s current position on this is ridiculous.

The West End car parks are the only Dundee car parks in residential areas with parking charges but without any form of residents’ parking scheme. Local people are being charged to park near their homes given the ‘work from home’ directive of the Scottish Government.

The council’s lack of action on removing the parking charges creates a disincentive for people to work from home. The council should be supporting the Scottish Government advice and should act to make sure it is not more difficult for people to work from home.

Many of the seven affected car parks are half empty as a result because residents are forced to try to find on-street spaces to avoid the parking charges which he said was a totally unacceptable position for the council to have created.

If my motion is agreed next Monday, parking charges in the West End will be suspended while the ‘work from home’ directive is in place. This is the responsible thing for the council to do and I hope it will find support in the council chamber.

Call for action on West End parking charges given “work from home” instruction

I have today strongly criticised Dundee City Council’s lack of action to suspend parking charges in residential areas of the West End, despite the First Minister’s instruction – as a result of the latest COVID situation and the Omicron variant – to work from home if possible.

On behalf of residents, I contacted the City Council to suggest that the council suspend car parking charges while the new “work from home” instruction was in force. However the response from the council’s Head of Sustainable Transport and Roads indicated :

“I can confirm that the Council is not planning to suspend parking charges at this time.”

I am very critical of the council’s inaction on this which flies in the face of the Scottish Government’s instruction to work from home given the latest turn of events on COVID.

The council is placing a disincentive to working from home – something that is not, in my view, a responsible approach.

The West End is unique in the city in having the only Dundee car parks in residential areas with parking charges but without any form of residents’ parking scheme, due to the failure of the administration to make progress on the issue.

We now have a situation where people are being expected to work from home but the council is putting a clear disincentive by taxing residents for doing so.

Because the council will not act to suspend car parking charges, I am taking the bull by the horns and have placed an item on the next City Development Committee which, if successful, would suspend the parking charges meantime.

I would much rather the council had acted responsibly and suspended the car parking charges straight away. Even if I am successful at City Development Committee in getting the charges suspended, committee will not meet until into January, so this is unnecessarily delayed.

Residents’ parking – consultation latest! #dundeewestend

As residents know, I have been very critical of the City Council for for continual delays in bringing forward proposals for residents’ priority parking in the West End.

The council undertook consultation meetings with local residents over the issue at two very well attended meetings in Blackness Library in March 2020 – just before the onset of the COVID-19 health emergency – but has failed to progress scoping the scheme since then.

The council administration’s excuse for this is that it had not started the consultation process in two other wards – Maryfield and Coldside – but as I have raised at the council’s at the council’s City Development Committee, the issues in the other two wards are different and there is absolutely no reason to hold up progress in one ward because of issues elsewhere.   The parking solutions must be tailored to individual local circumstances and there is not a ‘one solution fits all’ template that can be rolled out for all three wards.

In short, there is no reason that the outcomes of the 2020 West End consultation with the public could come back to committee together with recommendations to improve parking for residents. At the committee’s last meeting, I moved a successful motion to commit officers to have proposals back to committee no later than March 2022.

With this deadline in mind, the council is now finally getting round to online consultation meetings that will cover all three wards. There will two on-line meetings on Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th November, both starting at 7pm. Opening with a presentation by the council parking officers, there will be an opportunity to submit questions that will be answered on the night.

More information on the proposed schemes, and how to take part in the meetings and the consultation is available at https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/rps

As I have said before, there is clearly good support for a residents’ priority parking permit scheme as long as it is reasonable and affordable as it would make it much easier for local residents to get parked. 

At last, after my repeatedly raising the issue rather like a broken record, some progress is now finally taking place.

Double parking danger – a solution in sight #dundeewestend

As residents will recall, I have previously raised concerns about the dangers posed by double parking in several West End streets, often alongside Eurobins.    Drivers have raised concerns about the safety concerns about cars effectively parked well into the roadway – a particular danger at night.    Most complaints have come from Rosefield Street and Forest Park Road, with some from Peddie Street and some other streets.

Having had more concerns raised recently, I highlighted this to Police Scotland and also to the roads team at the City Council.

Our community police sergeant for the West End and Lochee has advised :

“You have raised this concern with Police Scotland in the past and have spoken to the West End Community Officers to see if they had previous knowledge.

A colleague previously attempted to deal with this and he informs me that the previous update from Dundee City Council suggested legislation was being progressed through parliament to tackle this very issue, but as a result of COVID-19 ground to a halt.

At this time from a policing perspective, every individual instance would have to be assessed on its own merits, to establish if any offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988 were being committed.

I appreciate this is not an ideal situation because it does not bring about any speedy resolution to the problems.

I am aware the council parking attendants were also involved the last time there was repeated complaints being made but again, I do not believe they have powers to enforce any penalties in respect of the double parking as they are not on double yellow lines, hence the need for new legislation.

I can only ask that any residents consider contacting Police Scotland on 101 if they are concerned about the safety of pedestrians and other road users from the manner of parking of vehicles in the area. The circumstances can thereafter be fully assessed and police action taken if deemed relevant and appropriate in the circumstances.”

The council’s Roads Maintenance Partnership Depute Manager further advised :

“I can confirm the secondary legislation has been delayed due to the Scottish Ministers prioritising COVID legislation and other emergency legislation.

Once we receive the secondary legislation for the ban on pavement parking and double parking this will make it easier for local authorities to ensure our pavements and roads are safer and more accessible to all.

I believe the teams within the Scottish Government will be looking at this shortly.    There are many parts of the Transport Scotland Act 2019.

Unfortunately I have no definite timescale with Spring/Summer 2022 the latest suggested date been mentioned by Transport Scotland officers.”

The introduction of legislation to stop this dangerous parking is vital and long overdue and will ensure safer roads in the future, especially on dark nights.

West End parking improvements – more delays concern

I have today heavily criticised Dundee City Council for yet further delays in bringing forward proposals for residents’ priority parking in the West End – a year and a half after the council undertook consultation meetings with local residents over the issue.

I have been continually asking the City Development Department to bring the outcomes of the consultation with the public to committee together with recommendations to improve parking for residents. 

There is clearly good support for a residents’ priority parking permit scheme as long as it is reasonable and affordable as it would make it much easier for local residents to get parked. However, the council is taking an absolute age to bring proposals forward and there is a total lack of momentum on the part of Dundee City Council to get this issue resolved.

Well-attended consultation meetings took place in March 2020 just before the onset of the COVID-19 health emergency but there has been absolutely no progress by Dundee City Council since. In October 2020, the council said it hoped for progress in the first half of 2021. 

It later said a report to committee would come forward by the end of 2021 and now it is kicking the ball even further down the road. This is apparently because separate consultations in two other wards are not complete but I see absolutely no good reason to further delay progress in the West End where the consultation meetings are long completed, a year and a half ago.

The council’s Head of Sustainable Transport and Roads has this week advised me :

“We previously advised of a December reporting target earlier in the year when the Covid transmission rate was supressed, and we were scheduled to recommence consultations in person. Following the re-emergence of high transmission rates these consultations were suspended which has resulted in a delay to the reporting programme.

Once we have identified with communities a preferred route for remote engagement, and scheduled the remaining consultations, we will update stakeholders with a revised timescale for reporting on the consultation.”

For some reason best known to itself, the council is further delaying progress on this important issue in the West End because it has still to do consultation in some in other parts of Dundee that have unrelated parking issues.        I fully agree that the other areas should have their consultation meetings and their issues properly tackled, but delaying the West End proposals further because of consultation meetings in other areas that are unrelated to the issues in the West End makes absolutely no sense.

The council is losing public confidence in the West End over its snail’s pace approach to the parking problem and I am calling on the council to finally put some momentum behind this and bring forward proposals to help local residents and give concrete assurances as to timescales.

West End parking charges to unfortunately return #dundeewestend

As residents know, I have consistently opposed the imposition of car parking charges at seven West End car parks – Roseangle, Pennycook Lane, Miller’s Wynd, Ryehill Lane, Mid Wynd, Union Street North and Bellfield Street North.

In advance of bringing in a residents’ priority parking scheme, these are simply an unfair tax on local residents, having to pay for the ‘privilege’ of parking near their homes.

The charges have been suspended during the COVID-10 health emergency but, with the start of the University of Dundee’s first semester, are being reintroduced from Monday 27th September.   I view this as not acceptable, particularly as so many residents are still working from home.

However, I have been assured that the City Development Department intends completing the residents’ parking consultation in parts of the West End, Coldside and Maryfield Wards by the end of 2021 and will bring a report of possible options for residents’ parking to committee – hopefully in December.

I will, of course, continue to keep residents updated.

Residents’ parking scheme for the West End – a further update

Residents will recall that I had recently raised with the City Council the need to complete the consultation on a possible residents’ parking scheme for a significant area in the east and north of the West End Ward.

The consultation was abruptly suspended back in March due to the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 health emergency.    As I indicated to council officers, I do not want to see this kicked into the long grass as the parking problems for many residents continue.

The council’s Parking and Sustainable Transport Team Leader has now updated councillors as follows :

“The report on the proposed extension of a residents’ parking scheme came before the City Development committee on 9 March 2020 and officers were instructed to conclude the consultation with relevant community groups before bringing back a further options report to the committee. 

The public consultation in the West End was largely completed prior to lockdown with a lot of community feedback collated following two public events held at Blackness Library in March 2020.  Further public engagement events in Maryfield and Coldside wards were unable to take place due to lockdown restrictions.

Council officers from City Development, with support from the Communities Team, expect to recommence the public engagement on resident parking issues in March 2021 or at the earliest possible date after restrictions on public gatherings are lifted.   It is then anticipated that a full options report will be presented to committee later that year.”

Residents’ parking consultation – an update

Residents will recall that the consultation on residents’ parking was abruptly suspended in March shortly after the two consultation meetings, due to the COVID-19 health emergency.    

I have been in touch with the City Council about its position regarding getting the consultation concluded and a residents’ parking scheme introduced.

The Head of Sustainable Transport and Roads has now updated me as follows :

“As you note, there are options to either progress the outstanding consultation online or postpone until physically distancing requirements are relaxed. Engagement with non-digital persons is a concern with the former of these two options. 

Associated with this consideration is the skewing of respondents’ comments if progressed during the current restrictions on the basis of views being influenced by current experiences or circumstances faced which may not be apparent post Covid-19.

For the benefit of engagement, and the timing being during an environment reflective of the future state, I propose to postpone the consultation exercise until after the pandemic which will hopefully be in the first half of 2021.”

This is a disappointing timescale but not really very surprising as driving and parking currently is far from normal and services are extremely challenging due to the health emergency.  

However, I will continue to press for progress as soon as parking behaviour returns to more normal times as hopefully the COVID-19 health emergency passes.   

Meantime, I have continually said that parking charges in the seven West End car parks with charges should have remained suspended given the Scottish Government guidance to work from home where possible and I reiterated this to the Head of Sustainable Transport and Roads during the past week.

Free parking in West End of Dundee car parks must be extended #dundeewestend

As reported recently in the Courier (see below), I have called for the City Council to extend its free parking period in Dundee’s West End car parks given that the coronavirus health emergency situation continues.

The council took the sensible decision during the lockdown in the spring to make all its car parks free to use to assist key workers in the city centre and also people working from home in other car parks that charge across the city including in the West End.

However, it now intends to bring back car parking charges into seven West End car parks next Monday – 19th October – at a time when many local workers are still working from home and may well continue to be doing for weeks to come.     

The point about the West End car parks is that they all cover residential areas and so the council is charging people to park near their own homes when they are being encouraged by Scottish Government to work from home.   That is a totally ridiculous situation and contrary to the Scottish Government message to work from home where possible during the health emergency.

I therefore wrote to the Director of City Development at Dundee City Council asking for an extension to take place and received the following reply :

“As you are aware, the original aim of the introduction of charges was, as well as generating income, to prevent abuse of the car-parks by commuters and to promote turnover of spaces to support local shops.

As charges in the rest of the city have been reintroduced, I do not think we could justify further suspension of charges in the West End. We did extend the moratorium on charging until the University started back.

I have reviewed and whilst I understand the issues that you raise, we have a committee remit to introduce charges, and now require to discharge that remit.”

I think at a time when the Scottish Government is trying to encourage people to work from home where it is possible, the City Council charging people for the privilege of parking near their homes in the West End is not responsible and sending the wrong message.    

These are car parks in residential areas and I think that would be a common sense and helpful thing to continue the parking charges moratorium at this time.

Courier article :

Parking charges #dundeewestend

As residents will be aware, the City Council has announced the return of parking charges from next Monday – 13th July.
 
However, I am pleased to say that my plea to officers to not to reintroduce these in the West End from 13th July has paid off.     Car parks in the seven West End car parks that had charges intoduced for the first time in January of this year will continue to be free until the universities return in October.
 
The City Council also advises :
 
“The first phase of charging from July 13 applies to all on-street bays, as well as the surface car parks in the city centre and Broughty Ferry. Limited wait bays will also be enforced from this date.
 
If progress on the route map out of lockdown continues as expected, the gradual roll-out will see charging resume at city centre multi-storey car parks in August. Greenmarket and Gellatly Street will be full price, while Bell Street and Olympia will cost £3-a-day.                                                              
 
Normal pricing is expected to resume at Olympia and Bell Street from mid-September.
 
Finally, the re-introduction of charging at car parks in the West End is planned for October 2020.
 
Up-to-date information throughout the phased return of car-parking charges can be found on the Dundee City Council website.”

Suspend West End car parking charges! #dundeewestend

I have been contacted by numerous residents in the West End who use the seven cars parks that recently had car park charges imposed for the first time – charges I have strongly opposed.
 
The residents have pointed out that, as the advice is to work from home where possible during the COVID-19 health emergency, it seems perverse to charge people to park near their homes when the council has suspended car parking charges in several car parks in the city centre.    
 
The city centre decision is very helpful – to assist key workers – but I am adament that the suspension of parking charges must also apply to people working from home as they are following the advice to do so.
 
If Angus Council can do this for its car parks, so can Dundee City Council for the seven West End car parks.
 
I have requested that City Development at the council do this ASAP.    The Director of City Development and the leader of the council is aware of this request.
 
I will keep residents updated.

Bad news on West End car parking #dundeewestend

Residents will recall that, just before Christmas, I again reiterated my strong opposition to the council administration’s policy of introducing car parking charges into seven West End car parks.
 
The effect will be particularly difficult for residents and add to on-street car parking in the area.
 
I received the following update late yesterday from the council’s Parking and Sustainable Transport Team Leader :
 
“We expect the new car parking charges in the seven West End car parks to be introduced on Monday, 27 January 2020.   In advance, we will advertise the change by way of signage and press releases from early next week.   Meters have already been installed at most of the car parks and these will be commissioned on 23/24 January 2020.  New tariff charge boards will be erected over the weekend of 25/26 January 2020.  
 
New lighting is being installed by the Street Lighting Partnership in Roseangle Car Park during week commencing 20 January 2020.  For a few days this car park will be closed to create a safe working environment.  This closure will also be advertised in advance.”
 
The effect of these charges will be highly detrimental and, even at this late stage, I would urge the council administration to think again about introducing them.

Footway parking and double parking – a consultation

The Scottish Government’s consultation on footway parking and double parking closes on Friday.   The consultation document can be downloaded here.
 
As the issue of parking on pavements and across dropped kerbing is a subject of many constituent complaints, I have already submitted a response.
 
It takes only a few minutes to do so and I would urge any West End resident with views on this to submit a response – you can do this here.

I raised this matter at the council’s City Development Committee last night.   It was suggested that the consultation may be being extended to 31st August.   However, as the Scottish Government website still indicates a 30th June deadline, I would urge people wishing to respond to do so as soon as possible.

Improving parking for the West End – some progress

Residents will recall that, last March, I attempted to get Dundee City Council to undertake a new consultation with residents and local businesses on ways to improve West End parking.    My motion then attracted 12 votes but I was outvoted by 15 SNP and Conservative councillors so nothing has been done since to tackle this vital issue. 
 
Last night, at the City Development Committee, I revisited the issue and proposed the following new motion :
 
“Committee notes with concern that, following the consultation exercise in 2012 in part of the West End Ward relative to a possible residents’ parking scheme, the parking situation for residents and local businesses in the area concerned has worsened.
 
Committee therefore instructs the Executive Director of City Development to undertake a further informal consultation with community groups including West End Community Council, local residents, the business community and other stakeholders such as the University of Dundee, to ascertain views as to measures that may have public support for possible future introduction.    
 
The outcomes of this informal consultation should thereafter be reported back to this committee to determine which measures have public support and are viable;  and the potential scope of any residents’ parking scheme or schemes.  
 
Committee also instructs the Executive Director of City Development to undertake this exercise and report back on his findings and recommendations to this committee as soon as staff resources allow.”
 
I am pleased to say that, after an excellent deputation by two community representatives – Peter Menzies and Elaine Kuwahara – speaking in a personal capacity – and debate at committee, it was agreed that the possibility of progressing this through the Economic Development working group that is working on supporting new initiatives to support the Perth Road district shopping centre.    This will be discussed at its next meeting and, if there is no swift progress, I have reserved by right to take the motion above back to City Development Committee.
 
This is the first positive move by the council to sort the parking situation since the failed 2012 consultation exercise and I am pleased that at last some progress has at least started.   We now need momentum to really tackle and improve the parking situation.

Call to make better use of West Bell Street multi-storey car park

I have called on Dundee City Council to make better use of its half-empty West Bell Street multi-storey car park which I feel could be revitalised if short-stay parking was permitted.    
 
This could also have the beneficial effect of helping ease the on-street parking capacity problems near the University of Dundee Campus and in West Port, South Tay Street, Nethergate and the east end of Perth Road.
 
The council’s Head of Roads and Transportation advised me :

Bell Street multi storey car park is a very large car park with in excess of 900 spaces and currently demand does not require us to regularly open the upper floors and our daytime car park staff do flexibly open and close it if the car park gets busy.  

In terms of providing shorter stay parking, Bell Street multi storey car park is identified as a long stay car park, and the tariffs are so designed to encourage the use of the facility by all day / half day parkers with more flexible tariffs available at other car parks and the on street spaces around the vicinity allow for parking for up to one hour.

I have commented that there is no short term (30 minutes to 2 hour) parking available at the West Bell Street multi-storey car park and the parking situation near the campus would be helped if some short term facility was provided here.   
 
I think the council has to think imaginatively about the way this half-empty car park can be improved.    With the introduction of short-term parking here, it would assist ease parking difficulties in the surrounding area particularly in the West Port/South Tay Street areas of the West End Ward.
 
The council’s Parking Team Leader has agreed to discuss this further which is helpful as an urgent improvement is needed.

Glenagnes Street council lock-ups demolition – creation of new parking area

Further to the recent demolition of the former council lock-ups in Glenagnes Street (see right), I asked the City Council when the area will be completed to create parking spaces and to erect the promised fencing between the area and the flats in Blackness Road to the south.
 
I have been advised as follows :
 
“Tayside Contracts has inspected the formation at Glenagnes Street.    They have scheduled to commence making good for a parking surface week commencing 18 April 2016. 
 
This includes removing the double yellow lines from the south carriageway which otherwise would see residents ticketed. 
 
Fencing should be around a similar timeline.” 

West End parking improvement proposals rejected

I have tonight criticised the City Council’s administration for its complacent attitude towards tackling parking problems in the West End of the city.
 
At tonight’s City Development Committee, I moved the following motion :
 
“Committee notes with concern that, following the consultation exercise in 2012 in part of the West End Ward relative to a possible residents’ parking scheme, the parking situation for residents and local businesses in the area concerned has worsened.
 
Committee therefore instructs the Executive Director of City Development, during the 2016/17 financial year, to undertake a further consultation with community groups, local residents, the business community and other stakeholders such as the University of Dundee, to ascertain views as to measures short of a parking scheme that covers the whole of the original consultation area, that may have public support for possible future introduction.
 
Committee also instructs the Executive Director of City Development to report back on his findings and recommendations to this committee by 31st March 2017.”
 
My motion attracted 12 votes but I was outvoted by 15 SNP and Conservative councillors who supported “the status quo.”
 
It is highly disappointing that SNP and Conservative Councillors showed such complacency in failing to support further consultation with the community to find ways forward to improve parking in the West End.    I am very unimpressed with their ‘do nothing’ response to my proposal.  It will now clearly need a change of direction after the 2017 council election to ensure the parking issue is properly tackled.    Meantime, I will continue to campaign for parking improvements for the area.
 
Since the failed consultation now some years ago, it is obvious from the level of complaints from residents that the parking situation is getting worse not better and that local people find it increasingly difficult to get parked near their homes.    I therefore feel strongly that the council simply cannot walk away from the problem but must consider some further consultation on revised proposals – for example on a mix of different solutions each covering smaller areas, rather than the ‘wide area’ proposal suggested back in 2012.   
 
There’s a real need to be proactive on the very significant parking problems for residents and businesses in the area.

Complacent attitude over West End parking slammed

As reported in today’s Courier, I have slammed the council’s SNP administration for its wholly inadequate and complacent attitude towards tackling parking problems in the West End.
I recently called for a further consultation with residents over the area’s parking problems and am hugely unimpressed with the council’s ‘do nothing’ response to this.
As residents know, plans were previously put forward back in 2012 for residents to consider a residents’ parking scheme which would have given local residents priority for parking in the area of the West End south of Blackness Road and east of Windsor Street.   

However, with permits being proposed at £80 a year, residents rejected the proposal as the planned West End scheme was 16 times more expensive than the parking scheme in Menzieshill, a price differential I consider unacceptable and discriminatory.
Since the failed consultation now some years ago, it is obvious from the level of complaints from residents that the parking situation is getting worse not better and that local people find it increasingly difficult to get parked near their homes.  
I therefore feel strongly that the council simply cannot walk away from the problem but must consider some further consultation on revised proposals – for example on a mix of different solutions each covering smaller areas, rather than the ‘wide area’ proposal suggested back in 2012.  

Crucially, the council cannot expect to get public support for a parking scheme 16 times more expensive for residents than another council one in the city.   Schemes must be fair and consistent in charging policy.
I raised the matter again with the City Council and the Director of City Development has responded as follows :
“I have consulted with my convener on this issue and our position is that this issue was fully tested through a formal
public consultation on a Residents Parking Scheme for the area, but this was firmly rejected by local residents.    Our resources have therefore moved onto to other priority areas.
“We will of course always try to assist with minor localised adjustments to waiting restrictions through our annual report to committee, but I am unable to revisit the issue of residents parking provision in the West End at this time.”
The SNP administration may well have “moved on” but it has done so having failed to tackle the major parking problems in this part of the West End and I view this complacency as hugely concerning.   
However, if the administration intends to sit on its hands and do nothing to help West End residents, they’ll find I take a different view and I will therefore be bringing the issue to the council’s City Development Committee so the parking problems can be properly debated and discussed and a further consultation given proper consideration.  
It is simply not good enough for the administration to have a ‘do nothing’ approach so I have formally requested a debate on the parking issue is brought before committee as soon as possible.

 

The administration wants to sweep this issue under the carpet but I am unprepared to let that happen.

Review of West End waiting restrictions

Back in 2013, when the proposed West End residents’ parking scheme proposal was rejected, I moved at City Development Committee that, at the very least, the department should review West End waiting restrictions.

 
This would allow the council to see if any yellow lining was now redundant/superfluous to requirements to hopefully free up some additional parking space.    
 
This exercise has now been completed and there are now proposals to do just that in various streets – you can download what is being proposed here.
 
I have been advised by the council that a cost estimate has been requested and, once approved, a Works Order will be made to allow the necessary lining removal to take place.


The Courier covered the waiting restrictions progress in yesterday’s paper and also highlights my view that there is a real need for City Council transportation officers to look at residents’ priority parking again, given the flaws in the previous consultation.


The complacent response from the Convener of City Development to this is extremely disappointing and is a real concern to the very many West End residents who find great difficulty parking near their homes.


This is an issue I will continue to pursue on behalf of local residents in the West End.

Helping attract more Christmas shoppers to Dundee …

I have called on Dundee City Council to consider having two free parking Saturdays in the City Centre’s council-owned car parks in the run-up to Christmas to boost the attractiveness of the city to the wider region for Christmas shopping.    I have also said the City Council should look for additional ways to help promote the city’s district shopping centres such as Perth Road, Broughty Ferry, Blackness Road, Nethergate/South Tay Street/West Port and Lochee in the run-up to Christmas.
 
I contacted the City Council’s Head of Transportation about the Saturday free parking suggestion and received the following response :
 
“This has been looked at in recent years and the fee for parking is not seen as the main attractor or disincentive, more so the availability of modern, safe and accessible facilities and the destination’s attractiveness ie Dundee City Centre is a chosen destination for many people.”
 
While I agree that modern, safe and accessible parking facilities are vitally important, I think the council should be considering some limited free City Centre parking in the run-up to Christmas.  
 
Dundee is already an attractive place for out of town shoppers to do their Christmas shopping and some limited free parking would further help.   
 
Additionally the council should be doing more to help promote the great small businesses in district shopping centres like the West End, Broughty Ferry and Lochee.

Council criticised for lack of progress on parking improvements

I have today criticised the City Council’s lack of progress on a commitment given last year to look at several ways of easing parking problems in the West End short of a residents’ parking scheme, following the rejection of such a scheme by residents in the area south of Blackness Road and east of Windsor Street.
 
It was no surprise that the residents’ parking scheme idea was rejected by the majority of residents as the proposed £80 cost and proposal to charge visitors for parking in the area was a pretty unsellable idea, but I was anxious that something positive comes out of the consultation process and, looking at the consultation returns from residents and local businesses, there were a number of good ideas the council should consider taking forward.
 
At council committee in April 2013, the council unanimously agreed to my suggestion to:

… remit the Director of City Development to undertake a review of all waiting restrictions in the West End area of the City and to report back to the Committee in early course with his views regarding any additional parking space which could be achieved by removing any current waiting restrictions which are no longer appropriate or necessary.

However, it has now emerged that, one year on, the council has made no progress on this review, despite assurances that progress would be made by autumn of last year.
 
The Council’s Head of Transportation has now advised me:
No significant progress has been made in terms of reviewing the wider waiting restrictions on and off street in the West End of Dundee.  Current resources in terms of traffic regulation orders is focussing on new developments and on road safety priorities.  I would advise that there are several area wide reviews outstanding across the City and it is unlikely that any significant progress will be made on these until 2015.
 
We are training more staff to review traffic regulation orders which will allow us to make progress in future years.
I am distinctly unimpressed with the council’s lack of progress, which flies in the face of assurances that had been previously given and I have now called on the City Council to put some momentum behind the committee decision to undertake the review ‘in early course.’
 
Residents rejected the parking scheme but the council should be doing other things to help if it could only put some momentum into the process.   The most obvious one is to look again at the extent of waiting restrictions to see what additional parking space could be safely created.   This is not only about removing yellow paint off some roads where it would be of benefit to residents, but also in some places making some of the current double yellow lines into single yellow would help residents at weekends and in the evening.
 
It agreed to look at this issue street by street in the West End and come up with some recommendations to consult local people with.  It also agreed to look at ways local car parks could operate better.   
 
It is vital that some good comes out of the residents’ parking scheme consultation and that all reasonable steps are taken to help West End residents get their cars parked a little easier so I am calling on the council to now act promptly on the commitment it has already given.

No improved parking facilities at Hunter Street anytime soon

Six years ago, the City Council approved a report to provide a replacement car park in Hunter Street at the edge of the university campus.  As the Planning and Transport Convener of the day, I welcomed this proposal.    
 
The advantages of improved parking facilities on the campus edge are obvious and the facility would also assist residents in the West Port and wider local area, where parking is difficult.   It would also relieve many West End streets from university-related on-street parking.
 
Back in 2012, I criticised the current SNP administration for quietly ditching the commitment to build the multi storey car park (MSCP) at Hunter Street, despite the fact it was a decision of the City Council to build it and the SNP group had welcomed the plans when first proposed.
 
I recently asked the council’s Director of City Development for an update on ‘progress’ and here is his response:
 
“The situation is unchanged from my previous response in October 2012.  While the Olympia MSCP is experiencing a monthly growth in patronage of 8%, currently there is no viable case for a further MSCP at Hunter Street.
 
I do not have a set timescale for reviewing this issue.  Basically we need to see how/if parking patronage bounces back as we come out of the recession, if it does and we have a resultant shortage of off-street parking, then we would see if a new MSCP was viable.”
 
I will be continuing to press for the long-promised improved parking facilities at Hunter Street, although it appears clear that there is currently a lack of momentum on this from the City Council and its SNP administration.

Waiting Restrictions Review in part of the West End Ward

Back in April, I mentioned that I had chaired a residents’ meeting at Pleasance Court at which one of the matters discussed was the proposal by the City Council to review the parking waiting restrictions on streets in the area.
 
This should hopefully free up some additional on-street car parking in the area – including quite a wide area to the east of Pleasance Court towards Lochee Road to the north and Hawkhill to the south.
 
As a preliminary part of the legal procedures to be undertaken to give effect to the proposals, the Council be undertaking public consultation soon and you can download plans of the current situation and the proposals here.

Hope for some West End parking improvements

I have welcomed the commitment by council transportation officials to look at several ways of easing parking problems in the West End short of a residents’ parking scheme, following the rejection of such a scheme by residents last year.
 
Along with my West End councillor colleagues, I met with transportation officials yesterday to look at what steps could be considered to improve parking and ease particular problem sites and a number of possible proposals are to be investigated, with recommendations likely to come forward in the autumn.
 
It was no surprise that the residents’ parking scheme idea was rejected by the majority of residents as the proposed £80 cost and proposal to charge visitors for parking in the area was a pretty unsellable idea, but I am anxious that something positive comes out of the consultation process and, looking at the consultation returns from residents and local businesses, there are a number of good ideas the council should consider taking forward.
 
The most obvious one is to look again at the extent of waiting restrictions to see what additional parking space could be safely created.   This is not only about removing yellow paint off some roads where it would be of benefit to residents, but also in some places making some of the current double yellow lines into single yellow would help residents at weekends and in the evening.
 
Council transportation officials have agreed to look at this issue street by street in the West End over the forthcoming period and come up with some recommendations to consult local people with.  They also agreed to look at ways local car parks could operate better.
 
A number of other aspects were discussed and I am keen to see a minor amendment to the City Centre Parking Scheme to help constituents in parts of West Port and Hawkhill.
 
It is vital that some good comes out of the residents’ parking scheme consultation and that all reasonable steps are taken to help West End residents get their cars parked a little easier and I felt the meeting with transportation officials was positive in that regard.