Gartmore villagers left frustrated over inflexibility of pavement parking ban

The issue of access in Main Street has been raised by residents - with calls for an exemption to be created for the area.

Villagers in Gartmore have been left angered over a lack of flexibility in the enforcement of new pavement parking guidelines.

The national drive to clamp down on pavement parking saw local authorities offered the opportunity to issue fines for those parking up on the pavement in an effort to improve access for those with mobility issues and pushchairs.

Across the Stirling area, those guidelines were brought into effect in July – with enforcement officers busy in the streets ensuring motorists stick to the new rules.

But one of the thorny issue thrown up by the legislation has been over the presence of exemptions for tight areas of road where residents and motorists may be left with no choice but to park on the pavement.

One such debate is raging in Gartmore following the issuing of letters to local residents of properties in the village’s Main Street.

Exemption requests were submitted for the street, which regularly sees both locals and visitors parking on the narrow stretch – with bus companies operating through the village also left concerned about the width of the carriageway if the rules were introduced.

However, in the letter, Stirling Council officials stood behind the plans, stating that some residents may be forced to park further away from their homes to avoid potential issues with re-routing for buses in the area.

That response has been criticised, with one local telling the Observer the pavement parking ban is the “final straw” for him to leave Gartmore after 12 years in the village.

Chris Naylor, 38, who lives in Gartmore with wife Kelly and his three kids, will now move out to Drymen and believes more “common sense” should have been applied for those homeowners left with no option but to park on the pavement.

Chris said: “We’ve been quite happy here for 12 years but all of this was the straw that broke the camel’s back to be honest.

“Prior to the parking ban being introduced, we’ve already had our car crashed into by a caravan trying to get out and it will be narrowed considerably more if people aren’t allowed to go on the pavement.

“We have no option but to park on Main Street, there are five or six of us in the same boat and we have no off-street parking because our properties back on to fields behind.

“The sensible thing would be to bring in an exemption here and let things carry on in this specific area.

“Instead, we’ll likely be taking one of the kids out of the school here and our youngest will be starting in Drymen which is a shame for a school so reliant on numbers.”

Trossachs and Teith councillor Martin Earl has been contacted by residents over the issue, with a meeting between Gartmore Community Council and Stirling Council already earmarked alongside a parking survey for the local area.

Councillor Earl said: “I completely understand and support the aim of the legislation to stop pavement parking that blocks access for all pedestrians.

“However I would hope for a pragmatic approach be taken where specific circumstances apply that could justify it.

“Where pavements are wide enough and where requiring parking on the road can impede public transport especially in locations where other parking opportunities is very limited, then targeted exemptions should be seriously considered.”

A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “A full assessment of all streets in the Stirling Council area has been conducted and no streets have had Exemption Orders advanced.

“We will continue to engage with the community in Gartmore and also with the bus company, McGills, over the concerns raised around the parking practices on Main Street.

“As we state in our letter to residents, the new regulations aim to make our streets safer, more accessible and user friendly for everyone.”

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