Common Good Fund could pay police to deal with illegal parking in Elgin

Elgin Common Good could pay for police to control illegal parking in Elgin town centre.

Up to £10,000 may go towards extra officer time to deal with the issue over a six-month period.

That money will get about 25 hours of officer time a month, at a rate of about £66 an hour.

The move came during discussions on enforcement and pavement parking at Moray Council economic development and infrastructure committee on Tuesday.

Elgin parking woes

Councillor Sandy Keith said he and the five other members for Elgin agreed money could be used to cover initial costs.

And a new town centre board may want to take on the issue when it begins work in April.

The board is responsible for spending £20 million UK government Levelling Up Fund cash earmarked for the town.

Mr Keith said he is not “mandating” the board to deal with illegal parking, but it might be something they wanted to take forward.

And Elgin South councillor Graham Leadbitter felt it would be an “early win” for them.

He highlighted a recent incident when a car parked on Batchen Street was seen rolling downhill towards the High Street.

Mr Leadbitter felt it was only good fortune no one was injured.

He added: “People parking outside the tanning salon forces other traffic past them.

“So there’s vehicles travelling two foot from the door of a licensed premises.

Public safety

“It’s unacceptable in terms of safety.”

However legal services manager Aileen Scott said while there is a “fair footfall” at the tanning salon it was unfair so single it out.

She added parking in Batchen Street was a problem from “the bottom to the top” with people parking at all businesses there.

Elgin North councillor Amber Dunbar felt it was time for a “concrete solution” to the issue.

There have been considerable problems with parking in the town centre for years.

It is especially bad on Batchen Street and the Plainstones area, which are both pedestrianised.

And the issue has been exacerbated by scaffolding around the Poundland building, closing North Street from its junction with High Street to Alexandra Road.

As a result traffic is diverted currently diverted up Batchen Street.

Work on the store is expected to finish in the next few months.

25 hours a month

Also rise and fall bollards will be installed to restrict access to the pedestrianised area of High Street and Batchen Street.

A report looking at funding options for additional police officer time will come before full council in March.

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