Residents around Dens and Tannadice Park could be offered free residential parking permits outside their homes during football match days.
Dundee City Council are proposing changes to parking around Dundee’s two major football stadiums to allow residents to park outside their homes during match days.
Currently, traffic cones are put out on the surrounding streets of the two grounds.
It means unless a resident is already parked by 8am on a game day, they are unable to leave their vehicle outside their homes until the early evening.
Games usually kick off at 3pm and end just before 5pm.
It will only be implemented if councillors agree to the plans at a meeting on Monday October 25.
The new system would see a parking ban enforced around the surrounding areas of the Dundee FC and Dundee United grounds, which are just a stone’s throw from each other.
People who live nearby will be exempt from the parking restrictions.
The exemption would cover all streets within Dens Road, Caird Avenue, Clepington Road, Court Street North and Arklay Street — which together include around 1400 properties.
Scheme welcomed by locals
Locals have welcomed the proposed changes, claiming that the current system does not work.
Sandeman Street resident, Akash Dcross, 21, said: “We just moved here recently but the cone system is really not effective.
“I can’t really get out when I need to go to work and if we do get out, they don’t let us back in.
“If they don’t let you back in you have to park all the way down to Lidl. That’s a 15 or 20-minute walk — it’s too far for me.
“I think the permit will be effective in solving the issue.”
‘It would make some difference’
James Fern, 71, who lives on Arklay Terrace said: “It’s murder parking here.
“They put the cones down and it makes things worse than if it was just the cars.
“You can’t get parked when the cones are here, you either just stay in the house or I have to park up the road, it’s an inconvenience because we’re all retired.
“I think a parking permit would help a lot. I think it would make some difference.”
A resident at Court Street North, who asked not to be named, said: “People just ignore the rules anyway, people park up on the pavement and stuff as well.
“People just ignore the double yellow lines. I was parked just before the double yellow lines and someone parked right up behind me so I was stuck.
“As long as the permits are free and we all get one, I would be okay with it. I wouldn’t have a problem with it.
“They put cones on one side of the road but not the other, so if you’re at work, they come and take all the spaces.
“It’s not very useful.”
Effective by the 2022/23 season
The council are hoping to introduce the changes in time for the 2022/23 season.
Mark Flynn convener of Dundee council’s city development committee, said: “Parking on match days has been an issue for a number of years, and one which is a difficult balancing act between looking after the needs of residents and ensuring that supporters who bring their own vehicle feel welcome when coming to a game.
“This new proposal would do away with the need for cones to be put out on match days and instead introduce permanent signage on the streets covered by the new restrictions.
“Residents will be able to apply for a free exemption which will allow them to park in the streets when there is a game on.
“Blue badge holders won’t need to apply, but anyone who does not have an exemption and is parking in the zone on match days is likely to get a parking ticket.”
Parking attendants will be given an “allow-list” to identify the vehicles that are permitted to be within the area on event days instead of a physical permit will not be required.
Residents will have to register to be granted an exemption but emergency services, utility companies, GPs, funeral cars, supporters’ coaches and blue badge holders will still be allowed access to parking on the affected streets.
Consultation in 2018
In 2018, the council held a consultation with residents about their thoughts on a potential parking scheme.
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council said: “An informal consultation with local residents was organised in 2018 which sought views on the introduction of a new approach to parking enforcement that would allow residents living within a defined area surrounding the football grounds to be exempted from parking restrictions applied to other vehicles on event days.
“The results of the consultation demonstrated that there was general support for the proposal.
“The proposed scheme being brought forward is cost neutral and will increase parking availability for residents on event days.”
If the city development committee agrees to the parking proposals on Monday October 25, a traffic regulation variation order will be prepared.