Motorists are being warned about the introduction of new parking penalty charges in the Highlands – but there will only be one “roving” van to enforce them across the region.
Parking enforcement officers will be patrolling in Inverness and Fort William from Monday and issuing red warning notices for illegally parked, waiting or loading vehicles.
But on and off street parking restrictions won’t be enforced with Penalty Charges Notices (PCNs) until Monday, October 17.
Motorists accustomed to parking on pavements in city centre spots along Huntly Street, Church Street, Queensgate and Union Street, have been especially warned.
Work to paint and replace lines and signage is already underway in other towns including Aviemore, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Granton, Tain, Alness, Invergordon, Dingwall, Wick, Thurso and Ullapool.
Yesterday Shane Manning, the council’s principal traffic officer, said that the legislation will apply to the whole council area.
A team of 10 parking officers will be based in Inverness and one in Fort William, and they will be patrolling seven days a week 8am-10pm, including Sundays.
Mr Manning says that some of the Inverness team will be part of “roving patrols” across the Highlands using a “long range” van, and that in Inverness an electric van will patrol the suburbs.
He said: “We will be able to get out there to enforce the parking restrictions. We are currently doing the works there and the goal is to do it before the weather closes in. Our officers could be in Wick and Thurso in three weeks’ time, and then there will be a two week grace period before issuing PCNs.
“Pavement parking is one particular issue in Inverness, in Huntly Street, Church Street, Queensgate and Union Street. The regulation there says that if you are in a bay you are okay but if outside a bay you will get a ticket.”
“The truth is that, for the public, if they read signs and lines they will avoid the fines”.
The new scheme costs £550,000, £240,0000 of which is for physical changes including 160,000 metres of lining and the 2,000 road signs.
Money made from fines will be used by the local authority to off-set the running of the service.
The back office running of the scheme will be done in partnership with Eidnburgh City Council, which has 18 years of experience in running a very similar parking scheme.
Mr Manning says that if the authority were to process the fines themselves, it would “cost double”.
A recent consultation was also supportive of officers wearing body cameras on their chest to capture video and audio when an offence has occurred and to help keep the officer safe.
