A Dundee councillor has called for an immediate end to the “parking chaos” that blights the city’s West End.
Richard McCready believes that uncontrolled commuter parking is having a hugely adverse impact on the lives of residents and too much leniency has been given to those clogging up city streets throughout the day and reducing the amenity for people in their own homes.
The Labour councillor for the West End ward wants to hear ideas from residents as he fights to find a solution to the long-term problem.
At the moment commuters park for free with no or limited restrictions throughout residential areas of the West End.
This is also the position in Dundee City Council car parks to the north and south of the Perth Road and at Magdalen Green.
In response to the same pressures, Tesco recently introduced a camera-controlled parking cap of three hours to combat abuse by all-day commuter parking at its Riverside Drive site and to protect the interests of the store’s customers.
Councillor McCready said: “I am calling for immediate action to resolve the ongoing parking chaos that uncontrolled commuter parking is having on residents in areas of the West End.
“This is one of the most frequent and highly-charged complaints that local people, residents and businesses, raise with me as a local councillor.
“For years now the administration on the city council has ignored the needs of local taxpayers living in parts of the city’s West End closest to the university and the city centre.
“Instead they have put the interest of commuters who park for free and clog up residential streets and local unrestricted car parks in the West End above that of their own citizens.
“It is now time to redress the balance and that is why I am demanding that this issue is taken seriously by the administration and steps are taken to resolve the problem as soon as possible.”
He added: “I know we have looked at a residents’ parking scheme but the one-size-fits-all approach was not the answer and neither was the cost.
“I think the council should look at the possibility of different solutions in different streets and I believe we must also address our reliance on the car.
“I want to hear from local people about what they think could be done to help solve some of the problems which parking causes in the West End.”
The councillor spoke out after the city council recently agreed to take over car parks from Dundee University at Miller’s Wynd, off the Perth Road and at Hunter Street, just off the Hawkhill.