Couple hit out at workers’ selfish parking

Nov 6 2008 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

A PARTIALLY deaf and blind Hamilton couple this week hit out at selfish motorists who park outside their home.

John and Margaret Smith, of Wyler Tower, said relatives and carers cannot get parked beside the high-rise due to motorists who work in the town leaving their cars there.

Mr Smith (65), who has lived in Wyler Tower for 14 years, said: “We have workers from Deafblind Scotland who visit us regularly.

“They take us up to Lenzie and back every day for a deaf and blind social group, but they cannot get parked.

“My daughter also has the same problem.

“It’s because motorists who work in the nearby offices and in town shops use all the available space. A lot of them work in the South Lanarkshire Council’s social work offices in High Patrick Street.

“I can understand them not wanting to pay for parking, but this shows a complete lack of consideration for those of us who live in the area.

“The same thing happens in the Duke Street multi-storey car park - the top floor of which is for Wyler Tower residents.

“People who live in the tower cannot get parked there due to the cars of motorists who work in the town.”

South Lanarkshire Council said this week that parking outside the tower was ‘on-street’ parking and therefore not a matter for the local authority.

A spokesman added, however, that the council had received complaints from Wyler Tower residents about parking at the multi-storey, and staff had gone to investigate.

He said: “The car park at Wyler Tower is well-signposted and clearly states that it is for residents’ use only.

“However, on each of the occasions our staff have visited the car park they were unable to establish that there was an issue, as there were always parking spaces available.

“On inspecting the car park on two separate occasions this week, during working hours, there again did not appear to be a problem concerning the lack of available parking space.

“If any of the residents wish to discuss this matter in more detail they should contact the council”.