Moray Council may pay police to crackdown on illegal parking in Elgin
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Moray Council could offer the police up to £10,000 as a temporary measure to clamp down on 'pavement parking' in Elgin town centre.
Illegal parking on Batchen Street is being singled out as being a particular danger to pedestrians.
The local authority is therefore thinking of covering the costs if the police devote extra resources to enforcing parking regulations.
Speaking at a council meeting yesterday, Graham Leadbitter (Elgin South, SNP) said: "I can't state loudly enough that pavement parking is one of the most significant risks to the public.
"What you've got every single day on Batchen Street are large numbers of parked cars – sometimes in double figures.
"People pushing prams or in wheelchairs are having to go into the middle of the road to get past them while other cars are using it."
Another effect of illegal parking on Batchen Street, cllr Leadbitter continued, is that passing cars are having to drive within 2ft of shop doorways.
This has resulted in Against the Grain putting up a sign warning its customers to take care as they leave the bar and step out onto the street.
Cllr Leadbitter said: "No business should be forced to have to do something like that."
Yesterday's meeting of the council's economic development committee heard of a recent incident that could have ended in tragedy.
A vehicle parked outside the post office rolled back about 50ft down Batchen Street because its handbrake wasn't on properly
Fortunately, rather than picking up more speed and hitting anyone, it came to a halt after veering into the front of the Planta pizzeria.
The £10,000 to pay the police's costs in time and labour would come from the coffers of the Elgin common good fund.
Speaking yesterday Sandy Keith (Elgin North, Labour) stated that all six of the councillors who represent Elgin on the local authority agreed that dealing with illegal parking would be a good use of the money.
A report on offering the common good cash will be now brought before the full council in March.
Batchen Street is supposed to be pedestrian-only, with the only vehicles allowed being those that are loading or unloading.
However, the council has been forced to open it up to traffic for the past five years due to the ongoing restoration work on the Poundland building.
That work has required North Street to shut while it takes place, leaving Batchen Street as the only way for traffic to exit the High Street.
Originally scheduled to finish in June 2022, the restoration work is due to be completed at some point this year.
It was stated several times in yesterday's meeting that this should improve the situation as retractable traffic bollards could then be placed at the bottom of Batchen Street.
This would allow the road to revet back to being pedestrianised, but still provide access for specific vehicles to load and unload.
