Drivers slammed for using estate to dodge Glasgow LEZ fines

Those living in the Northbridge development at Sighthill Circus want the local authority to introduce parking permits or double yellow lines outside their homes amid claims around 100 commuters are leaving their vehicles there each day before walking the short distance into the city centre.

They say that the issue has escalated since the introduction of Glasgow’s controversial Low Emission Zone (LEZ), which begins on the boundary of the estate.

The area is on the outskirts of the LEZ zone. (Image: Colin Mearns)

It means older vehicles that fail to meet specific emissions standards - Euro 6 for diesel and Euro 4 for petrol - are not allowed to enter the city centre without a financial penalty being imposed.

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Peter Collins, who lives in the estate, told the Glasgow Times: “We are right at the boundary of the LEZ, so all day and night the three streets here are being used by those whose vehicles don’t comply and want to dodge being fined. Rather than drive into the heart of the city, they just turn right into our estate and park up for free.

“It’s getting ridiculous now as there’s barely enough room for people who live here never mind the area becoming a makeshift car park for strangers. We’ve been calling on the council to tackle this for almost two years, but nothing has been done. It’s getting to the point where it’s becoming a serious problem.”

The streets are gridlocked. (Image: Colin Mearns)

Peter says the issue is at its worst on weekdays as the streets are filled with people who work in the heart of the city – with campervans even setting up for overnight stays.

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Dozens of complaints have been made to the city council by residents, who say the problem has become so bad that delivery firms are refusing to drop-off in their estate.

Peter, who works as a civil servant, added: “You look out your window and just see cars, vans and HGVs abandoned. They are even mounting the pavements to squeeze in, which is forcing residents to walk out onto the busy road and putting the elderly and those with sight problems or disabilities at risk.

“At one point we even had a campervan parked up for a full week, while the folk using it went around Glasgow on a mini break. It only moved on after people here put a note on the windscreen to say our streets are not a holiday park.”

Peter says furious residents have reached the end of their tether.

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He added: “At the end of the day, the people running the council wouldn’t like it if this was happening outside their own homes, yet we are expected to put up with it. We’ve had enough and it’s time the council actioned a plan to deal with this.”

People are leaving cars on pavements and in every available space. (Image: Colin Mearns)

The estate is part of a £250m regeneration of Sighthill - said to be the biggest UK project of its kind outside London - through the Glasgow Region City Deal, which is funded by the UK and Scottish governments.

Plans also include almost 1,000 new homes and landscaping, with the Sighthill Bridge connecting communities in the north with the centre.

Peter, 46, says the promise of continued investment was one of the reasons he moved into the development.

He adds: “As a lifelong northeast of Glasgow citizen, the regeneration of the previously socially deprived area and a new bridge over the M8 to connect the city to the north, with walkways and cycle paths, was a massive draw to me and the many others who moved here.

The bridge to the estate was a draw to those moving in. (Image: Colin Mearns)

“However, the area is still largely unfinished, and no building work has happened on the site for at least six months. We were also told it would be a car-free part of the city, but that’s certainly not turned out to be the case.

“We have student accommodation, hospitals and offices close by, so it means the area is constantly busy. Folk know that there’s no parking enforcement here so they just use it to their advantage.”

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council says they are looking into the issues raised by Peter and his neighbours.

They added: “We are currently considering measures to protect residents in Sighthill from people coming into the area to park in this way and will hopefully soon present these for feedback and - later this year - implementation.  If driveways are being blocked, residents should contact Police Scotland.”