Strathclyde Fire & Rescue media release

CRACKDOWN ON DANGEROUS PARKING IN GLASGOW'S WEST END

18.00hrs Thursday 24 April
Wilton Street
North Kelvinside
Glasgow

Irresponsible parking that causes severe congestion in residential areas can pose a real danger to local people when fire breaks out in their homes.

On Thursday evening Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, in conjunction with Strathclyde Police, will launch a crackdown on irresponsible parking in one of Glasgow’s most congested areas - Wilton Street, which runs between Maryhill Road and Queen Margaret Drive.

The danger posed by parking congestion was highlighted in August 2006 when a fire broke out in a first-floor tenement flat in Melrose Gardens, a narrow street which runs off Wilton Street. Firefighters were unable to take their tender up the street so they had to physically lift a ladder over lines of parked cars and carry it along Melrose Gardens to the fire.

Luckily, no-one died in the fire but three residents of the flat and two firefighters had to be taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Over recent days, residents in Wilton Street and its neighbouring streets have been given leaflets warning of the dangers of irresponsible parking and giving advice on how to prevent the Fire Service being delayed on the way to fires in their community.

From 19.00hrs on Thursday evening, the campaign will adopt a tougher stance. Cars whose owners can be identified will have parking tickets attached to them while cars whose owners cannot be identified will be towed away.