COUNCILLORS from Largs met up with roads chiefs for face-to-face talks as calls were made to make a number of narrow streets in the town exempt from pavement parking laws.
From December 2023, local authorities began enforcing the law which meant that drivers could be fined £100 for certain parking behaviours; reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 bans pavement parking, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs, with certain exemptions designated by local authorities - for example to ensure safe access for emergency vehicles.
A total of 114 penalty notices for pavement parking have been issued in Largs in the last four weeks.
Independent councillor Ian Murdoch said: "We have had a meeting with officers and we have discussed the parking issues which have been raised.
"I raised many issues constituents have raised with me over several weeks to the council officers, and have asked for several streets to be considered for exemptions.
"The consideration of exemptions is subject to the traffic regulation process and even if a street was a possibility for fitting the criteria, it still has to go through a very lengthy process.
"Pavement parking is now against the law, and I have requested that a number of narrow streets should be exempt.
"This is being enforced in all areas of North Ayrshire, and in Scotland, not just Largs.
"You must make sure that there is enough room for emergency vehicles and buses to get through and if that is not the case, then you are causing an obstruction."
Cllr Murdoch pointed out that it is very important to realise that there is a distinction between decriminalised parking (the one hour parking and no return in the town centre) and pavement parking.
He said: "Although it is the same parking wardens who are monitoring this, this situation in the back streets of Largs with pavement parking is in relation to the Scottish Government parking laws.
"As a local elected councillor, I ask all car owners that everyone parks legally and that includes parking in a manner which does not block a road or cause an obstruction.
"I have raised all the issues my constituents have and asked for the exemptions, and we will now have to wait and see what the outcome of that is."
Conservative councillor Tom Marshall said: "The council officer in charge of roads explained that they are carrying out the enforcement of the pavement parking legislation in terms of the Transport Scotland act and asked us for streets in Largs where we feel that the law should not apply.
"The council officers have taken away a list of streets we have suggested where it might be eligible to park on the pavement, and that is where we stand at this stage.
"People need to apply common sense and leave access at driveways and not block the road for emergency vehicles."
A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “Residents are required to park considerately to enable buses, emergency services and others to travel along routes.
"Exemptions from the pavement parking ban will only be considered if there is insufficient parking available within the street or in adjacent streets, residents may be unable to park directly outside their properties.
"If parking behaviour obstructs the passage of traffic, restrictions such as double yellow lines, may be considered to regulate parking.”
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