A north-east lifesaver is warning there may be tragic consequences if motorists do not keep the road around his base clear.
Parked cars have been blocking the entrance to Banff Coastguard Station, making access difficult for volunteers and ambulance crews.
And matters came to a head on Tuesday as volunteers made their way to the station after an emergency call-out, only to find vehicles lining both sides of the road at Battery Green.
Now station manager Kevin Finnie has made an appeal to the town’s residents to think about they park near the site.
Mr Finnie took to social media to highlight the problem and urged locals in Banff and nearby Macduff to be mindful when leaving their vehicles near the Coastguard station.
His Facebook post featured a picture with cars lining Battery Green.
Mr Finnie said he wanted to remind people that his team of 16 volunteers are an important part of the emergency services.
He revealed he had turned to the council for assistance, only to be told it was not a matter for the local authority. It is unclear whether police will be willing to help.
With no assistance immediately forthcoming, that has left the Coastguard to appeal to the public directly.
Ross Greenhill, area commander with HM Coastguard echoed Mr Finnie’s online plea, saying: “We really would appeal to the local community to help us by not parking too close to the Coastguard station.
“We know it’s a public road and we know we can’t insist people don’t park there but we would just ask people to remember that we are responding to potentially life and death situations where minutes can make the difference between a successful or a tragic outcome.
“Every second honestly counts and we don’t want to waste time finding parking when someone’s life is at stake.”
Banff councillor John Cox has previously raised concerns about parking in the areas surrounding Chalmers Hospital.
And he urged people to take care while using the surrounding streets while a solution to the town’s congestion can be found.
Mr Cox said: “While we work out the best way forward I would urge that motorists park with due care and attention.
“There is not an overnight fix for this and we need local residents to back any possible proposals.”
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said the matter was one for the police.
A police spokeswoman was unable to comment.
