Falkirk business owner claims new parking laws are scaring away her customers

A trader fears “ruthless” parking attendants will ruin her business if they continue to do their job and stop people parking illegally outside her shop.

The shop owner, who did not want to be named, has a premises in Cow Wynd, Falkirk, which she says is being policed very thoroughly and strictly by Falkirk Council’s new team of parking attendants.

She said: “For the past six years my shop has been a great success despite the retail tragedy on the High Street. However, since these traffic wardens came into our life profits have gone drastically down.

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“Friday and Saturday always were my best days – we had sometimes served over 100 customers a day and now we hardly get 50 customers. These ruthless wardens wait for their victims and if my customers drive into the street and see a uniformed person they are driving away.

“I am losing money and my customers.”

The council launched its Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) scheme in November last year and signs warning people of the penalties associated with parking illegally – fines of up to £60 – were put up in “hotspots” throughout the Falkirk area.

After an initital grace period – where motorists recieved warnings – the parking attendants began issuing fines for offending motorists at the start of December and so far, up to January 12, a total of 924 penalty charge notices have been issued – including 69 for vehicles illegally parked in Cow Wynd.

A Falkirk Council spokesman said: “It is unfortunate a local trader feels they wish to encourage illegal parking. There is a large council owned car park nearby at Williamson Street and we would encourage drivers to use the available car parks in and around the town centre.

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“The decriminalisation of parking is intended to ensure the parking on the available road space is used in accordance with the regulations. This has a number of benefits, including improving access to disabled persons parking bays for Blue Badge holders and loading bays for those delivering goods to local businesses.

“It also helps buses to access bus stop laybys giving passengers easy access, makes sure the turn-over of pay and display parking bays allow more use of short term on-street parking for shoppers and eases congestion by discouraging inconsiderate parking on the road.

“Our parking attendants will continue to patrol throughout the council area.”