Hiring traffic wardens to enforce parking laws in Elgin town centre is the only way to solve the parking woes.
That is the view of Elgin Community Council chairman Alastair Kennedy.
The community council has been involved in talks between Moray Council and other local stakeholders.
Parking problems in the town are well documented.
As Mr Kennedy said: “People are parking everywhere and anywhere they can.”
The council has frozen parking charges in Elgin while they consider ideas to solve the issue.
Currently the council employs car park attendants to enforce the regulations in off-street car parks governed by the Car Park Order.
But Mr Kennedy said that employing wardens to partrol the town centre streets is the only thing that will work.
‘How else are we going to fix it?’
He said: “That is the only way that I see the problem will be resolved.
“I don’t think councillors agree with that because there is a cost attached. But how else are we going to fix it?
“If there is no enforcement, people will park where they want as they do at present.”
A number of ideas to help solve Elgin town centre’s parking woes are being considered.
These will be brought before council “shortly”, a spokeswoman for Moray Council said.
Parking bays on the High Street are for taxis, blue badge holders and deliveries only.
But these rules are being ignored, said Mr Kennedy.
And loading bays, turning circles, double yellow lines and even pavements do not appear to be off limits to many motorists.
The pedestrianised area of High Street is also regularly filled with parked cars.
Prior to the fees being frozen in January, Elgin was the only town in Moray where parking charges were imposed.
‘Police are pushed for time and resources’
Mr Kennedy added: “People are parking anywhere and everywhere. There’s no way of controlling it. Police are pushed for time and resources.
“It is an ongoing problem. We have it on the agenda at every meeting.”
A spokeswoman for Moray Council said: “In January, elected members unanimously agreed a freeze on parking charges.
“Since then we have been holding positive discussions with community stakeholders and partner organisations to consider options for improving the current parking issues in Elgin town centre.
“A number of ideas have been suggested and we will be bringing forward proposals to council shortly.”
She added: “There are no current plans to consider employing traffic wardens.”
Refurbishment work at the Poundland shop on the corner of High Street and North Street has exacerbated the situation.
Scaffolding around the building is resulting in traffic being diverted up Batchen Street, which is pedestrianised.
North Street will reopen when Poundland is complete, but Mr Kennedy believes this will do little to ease the problem.
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