THE MANAGER of a bedding store in Cardenden is calling for tougher parking restrictions amid ongoing problem parking in the area.

Duncan McKenzie, who is in charge of the ‘It’s Beds and Pine’ store on Wallsgreen Road, is sick of the “lazy” people who park their cars on either side of the narrow road, making it impossible for their delivery vans to get in.

“It’s been ongoing for the last year,” he told the Times. “We couldn’t get vehicles out at stages with cars parking on either side of the road. We rely on vans coming in to replenish stock and some couldn’t get in.

“If it’s just at one side it’s fine, but when they park on both sides even cars can’t get in sometimes. At one stage one car got its wing mirror knocked off by a van, but they’ve only got themselves to blame.

“We’ve written to manufacturers saying that no artics (articulated lorries) can come. The bed vans are large and there’s no way they can get through.

“It’s annoying more than anything else. It’s utter thoughtlessness and they’re not thinking of anyone but themselves.

“We need as much help as we can. It affects our business too – if customers can’t get through they won’t come in.” It’s not just the store that is feeling the effects of the persistent problem, as Mr McKenzie pointed out that the cars were also blocking the pavement and making it dangerous for the elderly and disabled.

“There are also problems with people parking up on the pavement,” he said.

“There are some disabled people that use the path as there’s an old folks home down at the end of the road and some of them have to go on the road to pass the cars as there’s no room. It’s totally ridiculous.

“It’s ironic as there is a huge parking area at the back of the Co-op but people are lazy.

“There needs to be double yellow lines there, end of story. It would save a lot of hassle.” Cardenden resident Jimmy Robertson witnessed a lorry struggling to get in one day and decided to try to lend a hand by guiding the lorry in and rounding up the owners of the troublesome cars.

“I saw a lorry trying to reverse into the bed centre and it was that horrific that he couldn’t get in,” he said. “I guided him in and then I spoke to the car owners on either side and told them that the lorry could damage them if they left them there.

“The lorry comes every Monday and Tuesday and what a hassle it has getting in there.” Cardenden community council secretary David Taylor said, “We’ve highlighted this problem before. It also affects the surgery next door because it blocks access for emergencies. It is a problem that we are aware of and that we have highlighted at community council meetings.

“The problem is that it’s not a police matter, it’s more of a Fife Council matter, as they control parking in the streets. It would help if people parked in more sensible places, as there is parking available further along at the end of the road.”