Residents who are struggling to park near their homes around a Fife railway station are fighting for parking permits as tempers fray over a shortage of spaces.
People who live near Burntisland Railway Station say so many commuters are parking in their streets that they often have to leave their cars some distance away.
Arguments have erupted, said a local councillor, and vehicles have even been damaged as tensions rise.
A petition to Fife Council calling for resident parking permits for West Leven Street, Sommerville Square and Kirkgate will be considered next week.
Despite a recommendation to the Kirkcaldy area committee that a permit scheme is not justified and would be too costly, Central Burntisland Tenants and Residents Association has vowed to continue campaigning.
Chairman Iain Ralph said: “What parking we have is used up by people using the railway station. Now we are getting into the darker mornings more people are using their cars and it’s getting worse.
“The other day I saw a lady in our street having to park in the links car park and walk back the best part of half a mile with her two children, a pram and her shopping.
“We get people parking on the pavement or right on the junction, making life difficult for everyone.”
He said the group intended to carry out a parking survey to support their campaign.
Burntisland councillor Gordon Langlands said there had been altercations between residents and commuters over spaces.
He said: “Burntisland is now a commuter town. A lot of people walk to the station but when it gets to winter they jump into their cars.
“This problem is just going to get worse until we get a proper car park at the station.
“Residents are feuding over spaces, cars are getting scratched and bumped and this needs addressed.
“There are already parking permits in Links Place for the summer months, it shouldn’t be difficult to implement.”
A report to the committee states there is on-street parking capacity in the streets.
It also says creating a parking permit scheme would be too costly and would simply move the problem elsewhere.
Traffic management lead consultant Phil Clarke said: “A residents parking scheme on these streets will require a significant resource in order for it to be effective.
“Such a scheme will displace commuter parking onto other nearby streets, creating a demand for the scheme to be extended further.
“Fife Council does not have the resources to accommodate such an extension of the current limited residents parking scheme.”
He said discussions would continue with Abellio ScotRail regarding off-street parking for the railway station.
