Proposals include a raft of 'no waiting at any time' restrictions in a bid to improve visibility and prevent obstructions at junctions in numerous traffic-clogged housing schemes.

One reader contacted the "Dispatch" to describe this latest yellow-paint job as incredulous.

"What a complete and utter waste of time and money," he added. "What we need long before further restrictions is a more rigorous enforcement of the regulations that are already in place."

His comments were backed up by a regular town-centre driver, who explained that the situation was becoming more unbearable as the months pass by.

At a time when the local authority was putting in its pitch for a grade-separated junction at the Lochlands exit from the A90 dual-carriageway, fearing that merely closing the central reservation and channelling exit traffic to the Glamis junction would lead to gridlock in town, the driver stated that there were already major traffic-flow problems, few of which were being properly addressed.

"Last Tuesday, for example, I counted 15 illegally parked cars on the west side of Castle Street," he commented. "Enforcement is the solution, not more traffic restrictions.

"There are some people who look upon double yellow lines as their reserved parking space, and neither the police nor the council are doing anything about it.

"We even have the laughable situation whereby local motorists know when the traffic warden is going to be in or out of town!"

The driver, who didn't wish to be named, felt urgent action was required to relieve congestion at a number of bottle-necks, with illegal parking causing endless disruption in the narrow part of Castle Street, in East High Street, just up from the Cross and further east where the road narrows just prior to the exit from Queen Street.

And, he said the situation is being exacerbated by the lack of joined-up thinking when it comes to planning major road works in town.

"Over the past week we have been faced with traffic being re-routed through the town centre due to roadworks in St. James Road, at a time when there are other major works in and around Castle Street, resulting in the closure of the route through the Myre.

"It doesn't take a genius to work out if you close off a major arterial route there are going to be problems elsewhere, and, over the past week, there has been a major increase in traffic using East and West High Streets.

"Meanwhile, motorists trying to exit from Castle Street have been facing additional obstacles due to various works, and then there are illegally parked cars further adding to the problem.

"Throw in the fact that refuse lorries are carrying out bin-emptying operations in both East and West High Street at 12 noon, one of the busiest times of the day, and you have gridlock."

The driver said the situation was having a major impact on the local taxi business, for example, with customers, if charged on distance and time, facing fares of £5.50 to get home, instead of the normal £3.20.

"Some taxi drievrs feel they can't pass on that kind of increase to people on fixed incomes, so they are the ones who are losing out."


Do you think the the driver has a point? Is Forfar - a town that offers free off-street parking - really that bad when it comes to illegal parking? Are the main streets becoming clogged up with queuing traffic, trying to negotiate unnecessary obstacles? And, are the police and members of our local authority turning a blind eye to the real problems and merely paying lip-service to people's concerns with their proposals to slap even more yellow paint down on our roads? If you have a view, e-mail us at dispatchnews@forfardispatch.com or drop us a letter.