Council launches consultation to see if public want to see parking wardens return

Dumfries and Galloway Council has launched a public consultation to see if local residents want to see the return of parking wardens.

Parking regulations often aren't enforced as councils don't employ their own wardens.

In Dumfries there are free areas to park in however police can enforce any parking restrictions when a serious issue arises.

One councillor suggested stricter regulations could benefit both people and businesses.

Ian Blake from Dumfries and Galloway Council, said: “It would stop indiscriminate parking and dangerous parking, parking on footpaths, parking in disabled bays there are a whole raft of things.

"But it's still at the very early stages and I'm saying nothing being decided and we're trying to engage public opinion. Currently Dumfries and Galloway do not charge for parking.

"We certainly have community officers that deal with people overstaying the welcome in certain controlled car parks. But in general terms, it's not controlled in any way. What we are looking at just is that more the indiscriminate parking and how it affects the public affects businesses."

For Pavlina Van Rooyen who runs a a local business in Castle Douglas she believes the relaxed parking restrictions are a good thing and that it encourages customers to shop local.

She said: "Our customers need to have access which does not involve another barrier introduced.

"If they have to pay for parking there is a quite strong possibility that there might make those choices and they will change their behaviour.

"That will affect the small businesses that might not feel like they can deal with the prospect of having to find the app and having to pay for for their parking in order to pick up their goods on the High Street."

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