Comrie traffic wardens ‘bordering on harassment’ as road markings return

Comrie residents claim they are under siege from traffic wardens since road markings were re-painted in the village.

The Perthshire village has had seasonal waiting restrictions since 2011.

But over time, the road markings and signs had faded, meaning villagers and visitors were able to park for as long as they pleased.

That changed this summer, after Bear Scotland completed roadworks on the A85 trunk road through Comrie.

Perth and Kinross Council replaced the signs at the same time.

And now locals claim their treatment at the hands of traffic wardens is “bordering on harassment”, with some residents getting parking tickets outside their homes.

Local businesses are also reporting a downturn in trade as a result of the situation.

About 50 people attended a public meeting in the village to air their concerns.

Opponents say the system worked perfectly well before, and they want a return to the days when Comrie policed parking for itself.

Comrie parking changes affecting whole village

The restrictions limit parking to an hour between 8am and 6pm in bays on the central section of Drummond Street.

Elsewhere on Drummond Street, and on Dunira Street, Bridge Street and Dundas Street, the limit is two hours.

The meeting heard from nightshift workers who daren’t sleep through the day because they have to move their cars.

A retained firefighter said the restrictions are impacting response times because crew members are having to park further from their homes.

Drummond Street resident Ariane Newlands works from home part of the week and regularly has to break off calls to go and move her car.

“We have a neighbours’ WhatsApp group so we can alert each other when the wardens are back,” she told The Courier.

“They’ve been here seven times in June, 14 times in July, 10 times in August and five times in September.

“Interestingly we haven’t seen them since the meeting on Monday,” she added.

Fears Comrie parking problems will get worse

The problems are being exacerbated by a shortage of parking elsewhere in Comrie.

Residents in other parts of the village complained of people parking across their driveways because they’d been driven out out of their usual spaces.

And there were warnings the problems will only get worse when the Field of Refuge car park becomes a compound for contractors working on Comrie’s long-awaited flood defences.

Businessman Murray Lauchlan owns David Comrie butchers in the centre of the village.

He has been ticketed himself when he’s been parked outside the shop.

And he says the impact has been even greater on businesses further along the street, since customers just aren’t wasting their allocated hour of parking to walk that far.

“The greatest fear is that this level of enforcement is going to continue,” he said.

Council says it will listen to community

A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson insisted there had been no increase in patrols by parking attendants.

“Staff may be present for longer on the ground as vehicles parked in the limited waiting areas will require to be logged and checked again once the allocated time period has ended,” said the spokesperson.

“Should the community view be that the restrictions are no longer suitable, it would be a matter for local elected members to raise with our roads team for further discussion prior to any decisions being made.”

Monday’s meeting was steered by local MP Pete Wishart and MSP Jim Fairlie.

“What was abundantly clear is that the restrictions are not serving the village,” said Mr Wishart.

“Jim and I are now collating our findings into a report which will be passed over to Perth and Kinross Council and Comrie Community Council as we seek to find a workable resolution.”

Local councillor Stewart Donaldson, also at the meeting, said he and the other ward councillors would work with the community council to come up with a plan.

The current rules are due to change for the winter in November.

The limit will extend to two hours on the central section of Drummond Street with no restrictions elsewhere until March.