A parking nightmare around busy Lockerbie train station could finally be eased with the introduction of a large car park.
Lockerbie train station is the busiest in the region, with more than 230,000 passengers a year catching a train from there before the pandemic.
However, this has led to parking chaos due to commuters parking on surrounding streets and locals complaining about ‘abandoned’ cars.
Dumfries and Galloway Council now intends to demolish Tyrone House in Sydney Place and replace it with a 49-space public car park.
The proposal, which also includes four electric vehicle charging points and a CCTV mast, sees the improvement of a path leading to Bridge Street and to the train station.
Plans for the parking lots will be considered by the council’s planning committee next Wednesday.
A report to be tabled at the meeting confirmed that an existing path running directly between Sydney Place and Bridge Street would be upgraded and taken from Wheatley Homes South, providing a shortened route into the city center from car park.
The council’s roads officer stated: “It is recognized that there is a general deficit of on-street and off-street parking in Sydney Place and the roads surrounding it.
“At the moment, it is likely that this car park can provide additional parking capacity for this area.
“However, residential demand and rail-related demand are likely to occur at different times and therefore do not conflict significantly.”
Very similar plans for a 49-space car park were previously approved, but this has now been amended to include a permeable drainage solution.
Police Scotland was consulted and has no objections, but the force has asked that there is an even distribution of lighting throughout the car park, and that care should be taken that any hedges and shrubs do not reduce natural surveillance or hide car doors. from the line of sight.
Police also asked for a maintenance plan to ensure trees and shrubs are well maintained. All these steps would reduce the risk of crime and anti-social behaviour.
Planning officer Claire Eckstein has recommended the car park be given the green light, subject to conditions, but the final decision will be made by councilors at next week’s commission.
