Local members to consider possible new parking arrangements at next week’s area committee meeting

People in Helensburgh and Luss could find it easier to park in their towns if new traffic management proposals are taken forward at next week’s meeting of the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee.

Argyll and Bute Council took on the responsibility for enforcing parking restrictions across the area in May last year, meaning traffic can be managed effectively and parking turnover is maintained within busy town centres.

Following a reasonable period to allow these changes to bed in a review was planned to highlight any issues and to make changes in order to address these as far as possible. This is the process which the council is currently going through.

In Helensburgh, with the ongoing public realm works, it was not possible to fully implement the parking restrictions until recently, with the work finishing the town centre restricted parking zone (RPZ) coming into effect.

Within the RPZ motorists can only park in marked bays; parking anywhere else is a violation of the parking regulations. On-street parking remains free of charge but is limited to one hour.

After a member workshop and a public consultation exercise a number of proposals are being presented for members’ consideration at Tuesday’s meeting in the Victoria Halls.

In Helensburgh it is proposed to:

• Maintain the status quo within the restricted parking zone: one hour free parking on street in marked bays
• Bring the parking arrangements on James and John streets in line with the rest of the RPZ
• Change the charging structure in the Sinclair Street car park to allow two hours free parking initially, with charging thereafter
• Maintain the status quo in the pierhead car park
• Make the car parks at the new council offices on Clyde Street publicly available outwith office hours free of charge
• Not to proceed with an outer zone around the town centre RPZ

Changes in Luss could include:

• Resident only parking in the core village area, supported by an RPZ
• Year-round off-street charging in the council car park
• Pay and display parking on the first section of Pier Road from Old Luss Road
• Double yellow lines to the full extent of Old Luss Road, other than where the carriageway is wide enough to allow pay and display parking bays to be installed.

Should the local members endorse these changes it will be recommended to the council to adopt them as policy. Should they be approved that will conclude the informal stage of the process and the council will then look to amend/replace traffic regulation orders (TROs) as necessary.

This process includes a statutory consultation which sees the council engage with the likes of the emergency services before opening up to a formal public consultation in which any representations will be considered by the area committee prior to the TRO being progressed.

The process from beginning the formal public engagement phase to the TRO adopted and changes being seen on the ground can take around a year.

Chair of the area committee Councillor Gary Mulvaney, said of the proposals: ‘’We have listened to people’s views on parking and think these proposals are a fair reflection of what people want.

‘’Our overall aim is to improve Helensburgh by getting parking turnover in the centre of town, supporting both local businesses and consumers, making sure that there is adequate short-stay provision for people to go about their daily business.

‘’If approved by the area committee the proposals will then need to go through the council because we are proposing the two hour free period in the Sinclair Street car park and the introduction of charging in Luss.

‘’As we then seek to amend the traffic orders we will go through the statutory consultation process in which people will be able to have their say if they disagree with any of the changes.

‘’Even after changes are implemented we will continue to monitor the parking situation and if anything further needs to be done to improve the visitor and shopping experience within the town then we will explore how best to do that.’’

Notes

The committee paper will be available to view here: http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/moderngov/documents/s99672/HL%20June%202015%20-%20Helensburgh%20Parking%20Review%20Update%20MC.pdf