Lockerbie train station parking nightmare could soon be eased with new car park

A parking nightmare around busy Lockerbie train station could finally be eased with the introduction of a large car park.

Lockerbie’s train station is the busiest in the region, with more than 230,000 passengers a year taking a train from there before the pandemic.

However, this has led to parking chaos due to commuters parking in surrounding streets and locals complaining about cars being “abandoned”.

Dumfries and Galloway Council now intends on demolishing Tyrone House in Sydney Place and replacing it with a 49 space public car park.

The proposal, which also includes four electric vehicle charging points and a CCTV pole, will see the upgrade of a path running to Bridge Street and across to the train station.

The car park plans will be considered at the council’s planning committee next Wednesday.

A report due to be tabled at the meeting confirmed that an existing path that runs directly between Sydney Place and Bridge Street would be upgraded and adopted from Wheatley Homes South, providing a shortened route to the town centre from the car park.

The council’s roads officer stated: “It is acknowledged that there is a general shortfall of on and off-street parking provision on Sydney Place and the roads off it.

“At such times, it is likely that this car park could provide additional parking capacity for this area.

“It is likely however that residential demand and railway associated demand will occur at different times and so may not conflict significantly with each other.”

Very similar plans for car parking with 49 spaces were previously approved, however this one has now changed to include a permeable drainage solution.

Police Scotland was consulted and has no objections, however the force has requested that there should be an even spread of lighting throughout the car park, and that care should be taken to ensure that any fencing and shrubbery does not reduce natural surveillance or hide car doors from line of sight.

The police also called for a maintenance plan to be in place to ensure the trees and shrubbery are well maintained. All of these steps would reduce the risk of crime and anti-social behaviour.

Planning case officer Claire Eckstein has recommended that the car park gets the green light, subject to conditions, however the final decision will be taken by councillors at next week’s committee.