Illegal car parking needs to be stopped

When the current road layout was established only buses were allowed to access Merry Street from the Pollock Street junction.

About five years ago £4.5 million was spent realigning the pavements, making them wider for pedestrians, with two loading bays created.

Around the same time taxis were allowed to use this ‘short cut’ to the Cross, with all other vehicles directed around Menteith Road and West Hamilton Street.

Two signs restricting traffic flow are adjacent to Dalziel St Andrews Church, but many motorists ignore these to slip through Merry Street, reducing their journey time and getting priority at the Hamilton Road roundabout.

On occasion police have stopped private vehicles from going through to Merry Street, but it is an ongoing problem.

Now some motorists are not only using Merry Street as short cut or parking in the loading bay they are parking on the pavements.

One man, who asked not be named, said: “We did have a traffic warden once, but he retired a few years ago and everyone knows in Motherwell you can park anywhere you like, best exemplified by motorists now parking on the pavement in Merry Street.

“At the wide sections of the pavement some motorists now not only drive past the ‘No Entry’ signs and then as the two bays are always full, proceed to park on the pavement endangering the public and making visibility difficult.

“This problem is more prevalent around 4-5pm and the other day around this time I saw cars parked on the pavements in the 30 yards up to the cross.

“The council and the police must know of this problem. I know there is talk of Motherwell getting traffic wardens back and something must be done before there is an accident.”

North Lanarkshire Council hopes to have a new parking enforcement scheme in place by the end of the year.

A spokesperson said: “A Traffic Regulation Order exists which prohibits all vehicles entering Merry Street from Pollock Street with the exception of buses, taxis and vehicles servicing specifically stated premises, the enforcement of this Order is the responsibility of Police Scotland.

“Any vehicle which continues onto Merry Street carrying out activities in compliance with the prohibition Order, requires to park within the appropriate laybys.

“Parking on the footway outwith these laybys is restricted by a Traffic Regulation Order prohibiting waiting and loading at any time.

“The council is working towards the introduction of a Decriminalised Parking Enforcement scheme later this year, which will give officers powers to enforce parking restrictions like these by issuing parking charge notices.”