The owner of trailers causing controversy in an Angus street say they were parked there to trigger dialogue over what he has branded a money-wasting council decision to lift double yellow lines.
Montrose residents complained after the two long roll trailers appeared in America Street within days of double yellows being removed.
They belong to Rix Shipping, whose boss has criticised a lack of consultation over the change.
Company general manager Mark Cessford has accused the local authority of wasting money and available space by relaxing the parking rules on the wrong side of the street.
The authority said the changes were made as part of an Angus-wide programme which had involved public consultation.
Mr Cessford said: “There’s a reason the trailers are there – and it’s not just to be an ass.”
Company has plans for major development on America Street
Rix aims to invest more than £1.5 million in the redevelopment of the former Joseph Johnson salmon fishing company buildings which take up the entire length of one side of the street.
Plans for major development to take over entire Angus street and create 50 jobs
Plans lodged with Angus Council include the creation of office, warehousing and car parking for a Rix Renewables operations and maintenance base.
The company hopes the scheme will create around 50 jobs.
However, the listed status of the buildings means dialogue with the council and Historic Environment Scotland is continuing over what form of development will be acceptable in the street close to Montrose harbour.
Mr Cessford said he had been surprised by the decision to ease the restrictions on the side with accesses into the existing buildings, reducing the number of potential parking spaces.
He took the decision to put the trailers there just after the lines were burnt off.
“I wasn’t doing it just to be difficult,” he said.
“My intention was to bring this issue to the surface and for there to be an explanation of why someone thought there was a justification for the lines to have been removed.
“This doesn’t increase the number of parking spaces as much as it could have.
“But is does make it more difficult for access if vehicles are parked over our entrances.”
He added: “Vehicles could have parked quite easily on the other side of the street without the risk of being clipped from traffic turning into the accesses.
“At the same time they had to go to the expense of painting double yellow lines on the opposite side of the street.”
Mr Cessford said he would remove the trailers at some point, but he had taken action in an attempt to “flush out a degree of reason”.
“At a time when budgets are being cut and councils are quick to remind us of constraints on the public purse, this seems to have wasted money to achieve less at the end of the day,” he said.
A council spokeperson said: “The changes to the double yellow lines in America Street were implemented as part of Angus-wide alterations to waiting restrictions in 2020 following a full public consultation exercise and subsequent committee approval.”
Montrose independent councillor Tommy Stewart had highlighted the issue after receiving complaints when the trailers appeared.
He said: “The decision over which side of the street the lines were removed from would be a matter for officers.”
