Gartcosh Tenants and Residents Association has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice regarding parking issues at Gartcosh Railway Station.
Concerning the above community asset, many of the members of Gartcosh Tenants & Residents Association (GTRA) along with the wider community have raised this issue, but to no avail. We must now ask that you directly intervene by providing an interim solution to this issue irrespective of what plans are being considered for the land which previously hosted Gartcosh steel works.
There is an immediate requirement to provide suitable parking facilities for the staff of the Scottish Police Authority Forensic Services based at Gartcosh. There is no point in approaching the service management directly as they have proved to be powerless in providing a solution. The park and ride facility is commandeered daily by the staff employed by the service and visitors to the offices due to inadequate parking provision. Parking stretches from the station, past the Campus, along Craignethan Drive and all the way on to the new Glenboig link road, with some employees parking in the village and car pooling to the campus.
This issue was debated in Parliament on the 17th of January this year and your comments have given concern. “I will absolutely ensure that the issues that Margaret Mitchell raised are part of that consideration. I have no doubt that they will be, but I will confirm that. I am aware, from my many visits to Gartcosh, that one can see the cars parked on the verges. There is clearly an issue there. Depending on what happens with the site adjacent to Gartcosh, it might be possible to look at short, medium and, indeed, long-term options to deal with those parking issues. I am happy to discuss that with Margaret Mitchell in more detail. Some of that will depend on NHS Lanarkshire’s decision on where the new Monklands hospital will be.”
The abstract “it might be possible” is totally unacceptable. Can you confirm today what short to medium term options (after a month to consider from the debate) are being put into action.
Today there are more than 200 cars parked on grassed landscape verges. The photographic evidence shows parking all day in the drop off point at the station entrance, which should aid residents with disabilities in accessing the rail service. There is no point in even contemplating a disabled member of the community could park in a disabled space. Other photographs demonstrate the line of parking on this road and the total disregard for safety and parking regulation by parking on top of a roundabout. This is Police Authority staff and this community’s forensic evidence clearly demonstrates irresponsible, illegal parking and no regard for the community.
Minister, enough is enough can you please inform me, so I can relay your actions to members and the wider community in Gartcosh exactly what you intend to do about this in the short term with the presumption it will have an immediate effect on the situation. Can I also ask why parking violations such as parking on pavement, drop off points, on top of roundabouts and landscaped areas are not being addressed in the usual way. Please I ask respectfully don’t sign post me to other depts. You are the Minister for this area in all respects and only you can provide complete and comprehensive answers.
I trust you have formulated a remedy considering your response in parliamentary debate. I look forward to a speedy response.
