Councillors meet to discuss 'rising problem' of illegal parking in Elgin town centre

Councillors met to discuss the ‘rising problem’ of illegal parking in Elgin town centre.

The issues were raised at a meeting of Moray Council police and fire and rescue committee on Thursday.

It comes after major reconstruction of a building on the corner of the town’s High Street and North Street.

The Poundland shop has been surrounded with scaffolding for almost four years that prevents one-way traffic coming from the west heading down North Street and on to the A96.

Councillors heard that vehicles are being directed up Batchen Street, which was pedestrianised about nine years ago, with the scaffolding around the building not expected to come down until summer next year.

John Divers, Labour councillor for Elgin South, pledged to continue to highlight the problem.

He said: “This is the third consecutive meeting that I’ve raised this issue.

“I continue to support the police and recognise how short staffed they are at the moment with Covid, but this has been ongoing for a long time.

“Elgin Community Council has written to our local MSP and the regional MSPs with concerns about parking in and around Elgin town centre.

“I do see the police out from time to time, but on Batchen Street, which is a pedestrian area, there are always cars parked there.

“The Poundland rebuild will not be completed until next summer, so that’s another 17 months of this.

“And motorists are driving through the pedestrianised area of the High Street, and parking on it.

“This is an issue that needs to be dealt with, and its a rising problem.”

Chief superintendent Neil McDonald told the meeting work had been ongoing with Elgin Bid (Business Improvement District) and the council on the problem.

He said: “I know it’s been a long standing issue, and we need to look at a preventative approach.”