A MONTROSE resident has expressed his delight at Angus Council's decision to abandon plans for double yellow lines on Bents Road.
Jim Fraser, who lives on the street, warned it could end up as a speedway if the proposals for no waiting at any time restrictions were passed.
He said he was "just delighted" councillors had decided at a meeting of the infrastructure services c
ommittee to scrap the suggestion and defer it for further consideration.
Mr Fraser said: "I think it is a decision the people of Bents Road definitely want and like – as they are the people who signed the petition saying they didn't want it.
"I've been reading about the potholes and I think it's fine the council have more money to direct towards them, as I think people will appreciate that, more than the residents of Bents Road would have appreciated putting in yellow lines, which would have stopped them parking outside their houses.
"I've spoken to my neighbour and she was delighted, as I was, to see the council have made this decision. We felt we were being 'nannyied' and we didn't need this."
The restrictions had been recommended for approval despite two objections by residents, including a petition, and representation from Montrose Community Council.
The community council's representation against the proposal said it would require vehicles to be parked some distance from owners' homes making them more vulnerable to vandalism. The introduction of a one-way system and a 20mph speed limit was suggested instead of the double yellow lines.
The street is very narrow with no footpath on the north side and a sub-standard footway on the south side.
The report, which councillors considered, said on-street parking causes difficulty for vehicles attempting to pass because of the narrow carriageway. It said kerbside parking forces passing vehicles onto the north side of the road close to garden walls, making it potentially hazardous for pedestrians and also for drivers emerging from these properties.
The council's head of roads had advised that on-street car parking is not a right and is permitted only where it is considered safe and will not cause obstruction or restriction to traffic flow. He said the current situation is far from ideal for all road users and while he appreciates the proposed restrictions would cause inconvenience for some residents, his first priority is pedestrian and traffic safety and free traffic flow.
The head of roads also said he considered the concerns regarding the removal of parking leading to speeding in the street unfounded.
When the proposals were first announced Mr Fraser said the current parking arrangements stopped speeding and if plans were passed, they might as well get "the boys from Top Gear down to cut the ribbon".
