No parking cheer for East Ren’s festive shoppers?

Parking issues in Darnick's Cheifswood Road as BGH patients and staff are restricted using the hospital's parking areas.

Clarkston and Busby parking review has been completed after an 18-month delay, but the new council-approved traffic regulations order is “not likely to come in to effect until early new year”, according to an East Renfrewshire Council spokesman.

Infrastructure convener Tony Buchanan commented: “With the run up to christmas, it is likely that it will be the start of the new year before the new traffic order will be in place.

“The free flow of traffic is essential to ensure sustainable economic growth within East Renfrewshire.

“Parking control and regulation is designed to help people conduct business and to make the streets safer for drivers, pedestrians and all other road users.”

Until new signs and road markings are in place, current controversial parking restraints will remain in operation and drivers will continue to be ticketed for parking where they are now legally allowed to park.

A spokeswoman for the Facebook community group Clarkston.com told The Extra: “It seems a great shame that we’re being told it’s not possible to implement the changes until after christmas.

“If the new restrictions for the shopping area are to be less severe, it’s hard to understand why arrangements can’t be put in place to speed things up.

“Our shopping area does not need another christmas where we’re effectively making it difficult for customers to stop and shop.”

Some Saturday restrictions for loading on Busby Road and waiting on side roads will remain.

There will also be an extension of existing limited waiting from 60 minutes to 90 minutes.

The council statement added that there are to be no new disabled bays on-street.