Elgin has not been short on ideas for solutions to fix the parking headaches in the town centre.
This week the Press and Journal spent a day on the High Street and the surrounding area to record how often rules were being flouted.
In just five hours we saw disabled bays being regularly abused, vehicles ignoring a ban of driving on the Plainstones, drivers overstaying in free 30-minute bays and abandoning cars on double yellow lines.
While offences are continuing, there has been a noticeable improvement in driver’s behaviour since the Poundland scaffolding has come down and a police enforcement campaign in the summer.
It’s still far from perfect though.
So, we asked for your solutions for how you would reduce illegal parking in Elgin town centre.
Do you have any ideas? Let us know in the comments below.
Would free parking in car parks reduce strain on Elgin streets?
Several social media users suggested making all Moray Council car parks in Elgin town centre free could be a potential solution.
A Press and Journal investigation this month revealed an incredible 66,624 fewer cars were using the pay and displays in the first nine months of this year – a drop of 20% from the same time last year.
It sparked fears that drivers were taking to surrounding streets instead of paying increased charges.
Dumfries, which is a town a similar size to Elgin, offers free parking throughout but Moray Council says charges are necessary here to generate income for the local authority.
Several social media users believe free parking would be a benefit to Elgin.
Craig McDonald posted: “You can park in Forres and Buckie free of charge.
“It would bring more folk into the town instead of using the business parks where you can park for free.”
How would you improve parking in Elgin? Let us know in the comments section below.
Andrew Harrold wrote: “Turn Lossie Green back into free parking. With that free parking again then I will ease parking elsewhere, no excuses from anyone.
“Fines if you park anywhere else illegally without a ticket or on pedestrian areas.”
Is tougher parking enforcement in Elgin needed?
Most social media users believe tougher enforcement is the only solution to stamp out illegal parking in Elgin town centre.
Moray Council currently only has powers to enforce rules in its own pay and display car parks.
Meanwhile, the police have ruled out being a long-term solution for Elgin’s parking issues.
It was only when Moray Council funded officer overtime this year to specifically run a crackdown that fines increased in the town centre.
Mary Quinn posted: “The parking is a joke, it’s definitely needing overhauled.
“Bring back the traffic wardens. They can then fine those that park in disabled/loading bays, never mind the taxi ranks.”
Joanne Poli wrote: “It’s awful everywhere, people don’t care and are horrible to anyone who challenges them. It’s disgusting.
“I hope they employ a traffic warden permanently.”
Robert Duncan posted: “People don’t care, they just park where they want due to no real consequence. Some people shouldn’t even have a licence.
“Yesterday I watched a guy drive up a one-way street the wrong way and then park on the cycle lane with double yellow lines on that street.”
Conversation