Council accused of using Kirkcaldy town centre as ‘a revenue earner’ amid evening parking ticket row

Fife Council has been accused of using Kirkcaldy town centre as “a revenue earner” amid a row over parking in a disused taxi rank.

The comment by the town’s MSP David Torrance follows complaints about parking fines issued to several people parked in the Hunter Street rank at night.

It is barely used since The Postings shopping centre was demolished a year ago.

And Mr Torrance believes the taxi area that served the former Tesco store should be decommissioned to make space for cars.

He said: “It would be so simple to do.

“But I believe the council is using that central area of Kirkcaldy as a revenue earner.

“You just need to look at the number of tickets issued in Kirkcaldy, even on a Sunday.

“The council should be supporting the economy in any way it can. Let the public use it.”

The SNP MSP is not the only one to make the call.

‘No need for taxi rank at derelict site’

Graeme Wilson, accompanist for the Langtoun Ladies choir, was astonished when several members received tickets for parking in the Hunter Street taxi rank last Thursday evening.

He accepts the parking attendant’s action was in line with signs on display.

However, he questioned the continued need for the long taxi rank, given the supermarket no longer exists.

“The derelict appearance of the site with fallen safety fences underlines the obvious lack of need for both a taxi rank and public parking restrictions,” he said.

Mr Wilson said reinstating parking would help people attending events at the Old Kirk, St Bryce Church and Fife College.

“Encouragement, rather than the opposite, would please many and provide benefits for motorists rather than chase them away,” he said.

‘Always when there’s an event on’

Around 10 choir members received £60 penalty notices at 7pm on March 21.

And a similar number of audience members at The King’s Theatre on the Esplanade were also ticketed that evening.

Meanwhile, people attending an awards night at Fife College were hit on March 11.

And many believe they were targeted.

Fife Council traffic wardens issued 17,000 parking tickets last year, bringing in £520,000.

And Hunter Street, Esplanade and Sang Road were among the top 15 hotpots.

Fife Council transportation manager Susan Keenlyside confirmed the parking restrictions at the Hunter Street taxi rank are still in force.

And she added: “There is a range of parking options in Kirkcaldy town centre, much of which is free of charge and unrestricted.”