A pensioner whose vehicle was vandalised in the centre of Elgin has slammed expensive plans to review parking in the town.
A £60,000 study looking at how to improve parking in Moray’s biggest town was approved earlier this month, after councillors heard the facilities were “overflowing”.
But yesterday, disabled Sandy Simpson – who had his vehicle damaged while parked at the St Giles Centre car park this spring – criticised the scheme, which was only narrowly passed by one vote amid concerns it could be a waste of money.
Mr Simpson makes frequent use of the multi-storey and says that plunging cash into studies is a “disgrace” while simple solutions are staring councillors in the face.
The 67-year-old said: “I use that car park all the time, and every day it is mostly empty.
“Moray Council already knows this problem can be solved by making multi-storey car parks at the St Giles Centre and Batchen Lane free to use.
“It’s a joke wasting that type of money, I’m disappointed in the councillors who argued in favour of spending it at a time when other worthy causes are missing out.”
Members narrowly backed plans to devise a car parking strategy for Elgin after hearing of the difficulties motorists faced in finding a space in the crowded town centre.
Elgin City South councillor Graham Leadbitter led the motion to approve the costly works.
And yesterday he explained that there was no easy answer to Elgin’s parking troubles.
Mr Leadbitter said: “Paid parking generates a significant amount of money for the council.
“While scrapping that might sound like an ideal situation, in reality we would have to make cuts elsewhere to recoup those losses.
“This is a complex situation, and the review will allow us to look into a wide range of issues.”
The review will scrutinise the lack of available spaces and gauge car park usage levels before shaping plans to tackle the issues.
Mr Simpson’s Volkswagen Tiguan was damaged in May when someone left a 20-inch scrape along its side.
Concerned town centre traders rallied round and staged a collection to cover the £125 repair bill.
However, the kind-hearted pensioner instead donated the sum to an appeal for three-year-old Eileidh Paterson so that the toddler could receive treatment to combat cancer in America.