Transport / Councillor believes parking in Lerwick has become a ‘free for all’
A LERWICK councillor says parking in the town has become a “free for all” and has encouraged the local authority to do something to address the issue.
Gary Robinson said double yellow lines are being ignored and areas which are supposed to be for short stays are being “completely abused”.
The Lerwick North and Bressay member made the comments during discussion on Wednesday over Shetland Islands Council’s Lerwick Lanes project, which could see potential redevelopment around the old swimming pool car park area.
There has been concern in the community about the possible loss of parking at the site if the area was developed, but Robinson said he felt the problem of parking was wider than that.
He said how to manage parking in the town is becoming an “increasingly big issue”.
“I think we need to do something as a council to address those issues to make Lerwick a better place for residents and for visitors,” Robinson said.
Shetland West councillor Liz Peterson also said she had representation from people in her area that there are few places to park in the town, and that businesses themselves have said there are not enough for customers.
Development committee chairman Dennis Leask said it is “coming to a point where it needs to be addressed”.
Speaking after the meeting, Living Lerwick manager Emma Miller said parking has been a “nightmare” for a long time.
“Parking control in the town centre is non-existent and has been for a long time,” she said.
“You only have to go to the Market Cross at any time of day, at any time of year and you can hardly get around for cars parked where they shouldn’t be.”
There are still some signs up for short-stay areas in parts of the town centre which are called “parking disc zones”, referring to the time discs people used to be given many years ago.
One of these signs can be found on the Esplanade between the Peerie Shop and Superdrug, for example. It says parking there should only be for 45 minutes.
Miller said town centre organisation Living Lerwick was looking at trying to introduce voluntary use parking discs for the short stay zones, which she believes are technically still active as the signs have never come down.
Shetland Islands Council has been contacted for clarity on whether the disc system is still active.
With no parking wardens “there’s just no-one to monitor them”, Miller added.
“We’re hoping that some folk might choose to be voluntarily responsible and considerate of other town centre users and stick to the time limits – though we are not naive enough to expect full participation and co-operation.”
The police have previously said they have handed out tickets to people who have failed to obey restrictions on driving through the street during the day.
Miller said Living Lerwick also sends out regular reminders to its member businesses asking them to make sure their staff do not park all day in short-stay spaces as it has a direct impact on customers not being able to access their businesses.
She added that parking is always busy – “all year round”.
Miller said most people in Shetland at some point need to come to Lerwick to access banks, shops, services and hospitality, but the public transport system outside of Lerwick “just isn’t sufficient to handle this”.
“So, people have no choice but to take a car – or spend seven hours in town when they only need be here for one.”
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