Council chiefs in Dundee are being criticised for more delays over a priority parking scheme for West End residents.
Dundee City Council has been accused of moving at a “snail’s pace” in bringing forward plans for the area.
Fraser Macpherson, a councillor for the area, says there is a growing lack of public confidence over the handling of the issue.
A public consultation on West End parking, which was started more than 18 months ago in the wake of charges being introduced at car parks, has yet to be completed.
The consultation includes the potential to introduce permits for residents.
Long-standing issue
Mr Macpherson says the delay is unacceptable, having first highlighted the issue in 2017.
He said: “I have been continually asking the city development department to bring the outcomes of the consultation with the public to committee together with recommendations to improve parking for residents.
“There is clearly good support for a residents’ priority parking permit scheme, as long as it is reasonable and affordable, as it would make it much easier for local residents to get parked.”
‘Lack of momentum’ claim
He added: “However, the council is taking an absolute age and there is a total lack of momentum on the part of Dundee City Council to get this issue resolved.
“Well-attended consultation meetings took place in March 2020 just before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic but there has been absolutely no progress by Dundee City Council since.
“In October 2020, the council said it hoped for progress in the first half of 2021.
“It later said a report to committee would come forward by the end of 2021 and now it is kicking the ball even further down the road.
“This is apparently because separate consultations in two other wards are not complete.
“I see absolutely no reason to further delay progress in the West End where the consultation meetings are long completed, a year-and-a-half ago.”
Consultation ‘delayed by high Covid rates’
Results of the consultation were due to be published in December but council chiefs told Mr Macpherson engagement events have been suspended due to high rates of coronavirus.
A Dundee City Council spokesman added: “The potential for a resident parking scheme around the periphery city centre is high on the council’s agenda and work was ongoing before the pandemic.
“Community engagement is due to re-start when the current spike in Covid case numbers starts to ease.
“In the meantime, there are two free car parks in the Perth Road Lanes area as well as on-street parking options for those who choose not to pay the £2 daily charge to use the council car parks with the reintroduced tariff.”