“Unfair” pavement parking is still an issue in Angus as the county awaits on-street ticketing enforcement this year.
Angus Council will introduce a system of fines in April, subject to approval by Scottish Ministers.
Councillors were told no members of the public have objected to the scheme, which will see tickets left for cars on yellow lines and short-stay bays.
But a Forfar meeting heard parking on pavements will continue as a problem in many towns, as the Scottish Government debates legislation on the separate issue.
Town centre parking has been a major issue since the Police Scotland withdrawal of traffic wardens from Angus towns in February 2014.
One councillor told the communities committee that many of the county’s burghs have seen an increase in pavement parking as a result.
Councillor Ronnie Proctor said: “I fully support the report and would say, in discussions within my ward members, one of the hot topics is parking in Kirriemuir and Dean.
“I’m sure there are wards that are the same.”
Mr Proctor said there are many points in the town which are under pressure due to parking, such as the area of Tillyloss in Brechin Road.
“A letter composed by Angus Council and Police Scotland has been sent out, but residents’ cars still continue to be parked there.
“This is even despite the bad weather of late where elderly people had to walk on the main road to convey themselves safely, myself included.”
Councillor Proctor later said blocking the Brechin Road is “unfair” to people walking to the town graveyard in Cemetery Road and the care home in Lisden Gardens.
Councillors agreed in 2015 to press ahead with a scheme for decriminalised parking enforcement (DPE) which would give council staff such as community wardens the authority to issue £60 fines.
Set-up costs are being met from £130,000 set aside in the 2016/17 budget for the scheme, but parking fines will not be processed by the authority itself, due to the cost of dealing with what the council believes will be a “relatively low” penalty tally.
Committee convener Donald Morrison said: “As we have explained before, the exact date will depend on the Scottish Government’s approval, but once we have that date we are ready to go.”
Councillor Glennis Middleton asked whether information on disabled parking would be available for visitors on the council’s website, which was confirmed by strategic director for communities Alan McKeown.
