I made a number of suggestions this morning about possible additional parking off-street and involving the local residents group Community Spirit Action Group in terms of moving things forward. City Council engineers will also undertake some survey work.
Also today, Dundee City Council finally got round to launching the consultation on a possible residents' parking scheme for part of the West End - primarily the area round the Perth Road shopping area (and slightly wider) and as far north as around Blackness Road. The plan below indicates the area covered by the consultation. You can download a higher-quality PDF of that plan here.
Improving residents' parking is an issue I have campaigned for for many years. As the Planning & Transport Convener in the previous council administration, moving on from a report by Buchanan transport consultants in 2008, it was my intention and that of the previous administration to move swiftly to consult with residents on detailed proposals to improve parking in West End given that the Buchanan report indicated there was real difficulty for residents getting parked and possible support for some form of parking scheme.
The current administration that took over in early 2009 has moved with all the pace of a snail on taking the matter forward but – more than three years late - at last there will be a public consultation on proposals about the parking issue.
I would urge residents to take part in the parking public consultation. There is no magic simple solution that will resolve the parking problems many in the West End face but getting the views of all local residents and businesses will be vital in terms of bringing forward solutions that the community feel will be of benefit. A key issue will be cost - I cannot see West End residents accepting an £80 annual charge when Menzieshill residents are charged only £5 a year - clearly equality in parking charges across the city is required.
The information given to councillors today about the consultation had some confusion in e-mail return addresses (2 different ones - westendresidentsparking@dundeecity.gov.uk but also westendresidentparking@dundeecity.gov.uk) and a web link error on the questionnaire that is going to residents and I requested to the City Development Department that these be urgently resolved.
I have been advised by the City Council:
"IT have confirmed that both email addresses are live and can be used for this consultation exercise.
With regards to the link at the bottom of the questionnaire, we have arranged that the press release that is going out will include a note that this link is incorrect and that all residents/consultees will be directed to the main DCC web address where the consultation is on the front page."
You can read more about what is being proposed at