Notice issued on Peebles traffic warden
Published 10 Feb 2012 09:30
5 Comments
PEEBLES and Innerleithen are set to lose their only traffic warden.
Instead both towns will be served by a pair of wardens dispatched from Galashiels - a 40 mile round-trip away.
The move comes after a voluntary redundancy application from the town's current traffic warden was accepted by police bosses.
And the position will not be refilled.
Instead from mid-March, Peebles and Innerleithen will be served by wardens from Galashiels, one full-time and one part-time.
In the new shake-up the two wardens will carry out routine patrols of the towns as well as carrying out their current duties in Gala and Melrose.
Police Inspector Mike Wynne can also deploy a traffic warden whenever one is required outside of routine patrols.
However he denies that Gala and Melrose residents will receive a poorer service despite two wardens having to now do the work of three.
He said: "At the moment there isn't much of a parking problem in either Melrose or Galashiels. I don't think either town will get a poorer service.
"Parking in Peebles is a concern for High Street traders though and we will strive to better enforce regulations in the town. Peebles will receive equal, even if not more attention than Galashiels.
"Police officers can also issue parking tickets if need be."
This is the fourth apparent cut to police services in the Tweeddale region since last January, when a division-wide restructuring resulted in the post of Peebles Police Inspector being scrapped after Stewart Sandilands left the role.
His duties which included overseeing the duties of the town's traffic warden were instead passed to Inspector Wynne, who took charge of the newly-formed Northern Policing Area encompassing Tweeddale, Galashiels, Tweedbank and Melrose.
The second and third cuts came following this reshuffle in the form of reduced counter hours in Peebles and the closure of Innerleithen and West Linton Police Station's.
Local councillor and Lothian and Borders Police board member Gavin Logan has slammed this recent move and believes that the arrangement will most definitely lead to a poorer service in each town.
He said: "This is a blatant cut to frontline services which has been sprung on the communities of Peebles and Innerleithen without any consultation. How many more losses to services can the people of Tweeddale suffer?
"Such an arrangement isn't going to fix anything, I can't see how Peebles and Innerleithen can be covered from Galashiels.
"All three towns will receive a poorer service as a result, Peebles and Innerleithen have lost their traffic warden while Gala will lose its own warden for various parts of the week.
"I have huge concerns about the level of service provided by this arrangement."
A police spokesman said: "Lothian and Borders Police can confirm that a voluntary redundancy application was accepted for the traffic warden post in Peebles.
"Last year, the division restructured the way it deploys resources to local communities and traffic warden provisions for Peebles are now handled by the North Community Policing Area (NCPA), which covers Galashiels, Melrose and Peebles.
"The local Inspector can authorise the deployment of a traffic warden whenever is required and regular attention to all areas within the NCPA will be provided.
"A recent parking initiative in Peebles over the festive period demonstrated the readiness of the force to dedicate resources to the area if and when they are needed."
Peebles community council chair David Pye has slammed the proposed new system as 'a retrograde step'.
He said: "Parking has long been a problem in Peebles and I can't see how regulations can be better enforced by not even having a dedicated traffic warden in the town.
"This is a retrograde step as without proper enforcement, parking regulations are worthless, the current system is designed to allow people to park and pop into High Street shops but traders have complained for a long time now about cars being parked all day.
"On such occasions are we to phone Inspector Wynne and request the use of a traffic warden from Gala?
"The fear is that people will be put off visiting the High Street due to a lack of parking and take their business to Penicuik, Straiton or Galashiels.
"We will making strong representations on this matter to Inspector Wynne."
This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 10 Feb 12
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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scooby-doo
Unregistered User
Feb 10, 11:39
Report commentI'm not an expert on the structure of the Police but surely the decision to accept a voluntary redundancy notice is not made by a local inspector? If Mr Pye wants to make representations perhaps he should start somewhere further up the tree?
In addition, the almost dictorial enforcement stance from the community council is laughable. The shop keepers themselves are the worst offenders on the High Street! Maybe the community council would be better looking at options to increase the parking spaces in Peebles rather than jumping on the political bandwagon, looking for votes at the upcoming local elections!
The solution may be simple, decriminalise parking and employ blue meanies, see what happens then.
Recommend?
Yes 19
No 0
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bill3459
15 posts
Feb 10, 12:46
Report commentif the trafic warden did her /his job instead of spending time drinking tea and hiding all day in certain shops round the town. And gave out tickets to all who parked illegaly istead of picking and choosing who gets them and who does not ie shop keepers pub owners might still have a job. So wont realy be a loss to the town
Recommend? Yes 21
No 0
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scooby-doo
Unregistered User
Feb 10, 13:03
Report commentI don't think how many tickets or not as the case may be has anything to do with it. It is voluntary redundancy not compulsory, so although I hear what you are saying Bill, performance has nothing to do with there no longer being a traffic warden in Peebles.
Recommend? Yes 0
No 16
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Iain
Unregistered User
Feb 16, 17:53
Report commentIf the traffic warden done her job then the police would have realised the extent of the parking problems in Peebles and would have been less inclined to think they don't need a warden. If you were the Inspector and there were very few tickets issued in Peebles then you would assume there was no problem.
Recommend? Yes 7
No 0
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Mark
Unregistered User
Apr 28, 10:35
Report commentCompletely stupid parking restrictions. How can you see the town in 45 minutes? Have lunch, visit the museum or see the churches? What is the point of on street parking when you cannot see the signs because they are hidden between other signs? Pay and display would be far more effective. I shall NOT be visiting the sorry town of Peebles ever again. It's hardly the hub of the Universe and yet they feel so self important that the only let you stay 45 mins. Rubbish. On phoning the council at Selkirk, the receptionist did not even know who was responsible for parking enquiries, just it was *somebody upstairs*. Lots of giggling and laughing to be heard while she was answering the phone, obviously not enough to do at the council then. J Mcquillan sounded about as competent and practical on the phone when asked about siting of parking notices. No obvious signs directing you to car parks either. Take a good look at your town, people, and get someone in who can see things through the eyes of vistors. Plenty of shop signs but no clear parking ones.
Recommend? Yes 0
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