Police launch crackdown on illegal parking in Largs

The clampdown is the first in a number of steps at parking enforcement throughout the town.

Largs Community Council discussed the situation with member Andy Adair even saying the town was getting the nickname of 'The Garage' given all the streets in the town centre lined up with car parking.

Margaret Wood, chairperson of the police sub-committee at Largs Community Council, revealed the initiative was being rolled out.

She said: "There is going to be a heavy crackdown over next few weeks on indiscriminate parking in the town centre over the next few weeks."

The problem of parking in the town centre has been a long running problem with businessman John Corrigan recently suggesting that a car park should be built at Barrfields Putting Green to alleviate the problem.

Parking on double yellow lines, loading bays and bus stops will be targeted during the crackdown.

There was praise for the police initiative at the Largs Community Council meeting.

Independent councillor Ian Murdoch said: "It is good to hear that Inspector Colin Conway of Largs is carrying out enforcement on indiscriminate parking - he is the only inspector who has actually enforced the parking regulations in the past, and it sounds as if he is doing something again about the problem."

Cllr. Murdoch has been campaigning with the transport authorities to try and get the Main Street bus shelter outside The Bagel Basket moved further up the street to the head of the stop.

He added: "There is that many cars parked in the slot allocated for the bus stop that buses can't get in."

Community councillor Jim Perman agreed and said: "There are that many people who stop to nip in a shop but it chokes up the top end of the bus stop area - it is illegal parking and needs to be stopped."

Cllr Murdoch added: "There are various regulations in place - they just need to be enforced. "Transerv have also re-lined the parking and loading bay areas in Gallowgate Street in recent weeks - this is important as you can't come along and enforce and issue tickets if the lines cannot be seen."

Largs Campus police officer Ross Pollard has also been working on ongoing traffic issues at the super school which has been ongoing bone of contention for the local community.

Mrs Wood said: "PC Pollard has been in touch with Police Scotland traffic liaison officer and options under consideration include new road markings and safe crossing areas."

Cllr. Murdoch added that he and other councillors had been working hard on trying to find solutions to the parking problems in Largs and a number of solutions, including putting a car park at Barrfields Putting Green, had been looked at and analysed over recent years.

He said that one of his commitments when becoming a councillor was finding a solution to the ongoing parking issues in the town and talks were ongoing with North Ayrshire Council regarding the matter.

It was also pointed out at the meeting that North Ayrshire Council were still in the process of decriminalising car parking in an issue which would take between 18 months and two years.

Community councillor Patricia Perman urged the authorities not to look at green spaces for parking.

However, Cllr. Alan Hill added that a solution needed to be found but pointed out that car parks - wherever they are positioned - are generally unpopular, pointed out that residents in Millennium Court may well be against suggestions for a car park at Barrfields Putting Green.

Cllr. Ian Murdoch added that another difficulty was finding the funds for a new car park with cash-strapped North Ayrshire Council already looking at cuts to the likes of community centres and libraries to sustain their budget.

In response to concerns about shop workers taking up parking spaces all day long, Cllr. Murdoch said he was still pursuing an idea of a traders car park.