Parking enforcement expected in 2026

PARKING enforcement measures which are expected to be implemented in Dumfries and Galloway in 2026 could be expanded the following year, it has been revealed.

Drivers caught parking illegally could be fined £100 from next year, or a reduced fee of £50 if paid within seven days.

Six dedicated wardens are going to be patrolling the region’s streets and their jobs, along with the costs of operating the entire DPE (decriminalised parking enforcement) system, would be funded through penalty charge notices.

However, there is potential for more wardens to be hired due to new legislation on pavement parking.

The issue was discussed by councillors at Annandale and Eskdale Area Committee on Wednesday.

Annandale and Eskdale Councillor Archie Dryburgh asked how confident roads department bosses were that the income generated from fines will support the overall service.

Tony Topping, the council’s team leader for network strategy and road safety, explained that parking consultants Systra have made calculations after analysing the region.

He said: “They’ve got experience of doing parking commissions, reports, and enforcements with other Scottish local authorities.

“They’ve been through this. They’ve got a system based on the nature, layout, and geometry of Dumfries and Galloway and its various towns.

“They could accurately estimate potential revenue from fines. This was then based on how many parking officers we would employ.

“Obviously the more officers we have, the greater area we could cover. But we don’t want to be out there with parking officers in every town and village. There’s got to be a balance.

“So, the way we’ve forecasted this is with six officers across the whole of Dumfries and Galloway, out and about at various locations. Some would be permanent in the larger towns – for instance Dumfries, perhaps Annan, Stranraer.

“Others would have a roaming remit to go to different places on different days of the week.

“That was very much based on decriminalised parking enforcement, which was the double yellow lines and parking in disabled bays.

“Since the latest ban has come into place on pavement parking, double parking, and parking across dropped kerbs, that’s another area we can now use.

“So, if the officers are out and about, and they see somebody parked on a footway and they’re blocking it for people who need to get past, they can be issued with a spot fine there and then.

“So, our estimate may have been on the low side in terms of revenue.

“Now with the pavement parking ban there’s opportunities to actually increase that. Once we get the officers in place we’ll see how the first year goes and ask, do we need more officers? Do we need different methods, different models?

“Do we employ some officers for seasonal work in place like Kirkcudbright, or Moffat, where we know there’s more visitors and we need more presence?”