Can you deliver a lorry park?

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ROYAL Mail and Amazon have both been approached about a new lorry park and establishing a distribution hub in the east of Dunfermline.

Councillor Helen Law wants a solution to the HGV congestion on Sandpiper Drive and wants the big players to get round the table.

The number of lorries parked there reduces visibility for other motorists and effectively reduces the road to one carriageway – Dunfermline MSP Cara Hilton likened driving along it to a “game of Russian roulette”.

Cllr Law, the chair of the City of Dunfermline area committee said, “We need to work together to alleviate the problems of lorries stacked up along Sandpiper Drive, both for the inconvenience of local residents but also the lorry drivers themselves.

“They often drive very long distances and may have to wait several hours for their time slot at Amazon, or once they come out they may have to stay as they’re beyond the maximum amount of time they’re allowed to drive.

“It means they’re just sitting there at the side of the road and it’s not acceptable.

“There should really be a lorry park there for general use, not just Amazon, but ideally in that vicinity, so they can have proper facilities.

“They need toilets, showers and cafe provision and it seems like a no-brainer as that part of Dunfermline has been identified as a distribution hub and needs that type of facility.

“The other issue is if it’s not close to Amazon I doubt if lorry drivers would use it.”

Asked about the proposals, a spokesperson from Amazon said, “We regularly meet with local stakeholders to discuss any local topics which are of interest to residents and councillors.”

Last month, the committee backed plans for a traffic regulation order to introduce ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions on Sandpiper Drive and Cllr Law has since been in discussions with Ken Gourlay, of the council’s transportation service, to look at solutions.

She said, “We’ve also been speaking to Royal Mail for some time about relocation. Royal Mail are very separate from Amazon but they have similar interests and a big part of their business is the returns for Amazon – it’s made Dunfermline the busiest sorting office in the UK.

“Royal Mail told us that relocating from Woodmill Street is top of their priorities as they understand the number of vehicles and facilities they’ve got no longer fits with a town centre location.

“There have also been a lot of complaints from people living in the area and they were told they couldn’t park their vans in the rail station car park.

“They did have a temporary fix with space at the back of the wee Asda but that was never a permanent solution.”

Cllr Law continued, “It’s not for us to dictate to Royal Mail where they need to go but given the amount of business they’ve picked up from Amazon, a lorry park would meet the needs of the business.

“We’re encouraging them to work together to seek solutions as the facilities they need are very similar. We’re working with Scottish Enterprise too and looking to have further meetings with interested parties as there are commercial opportunities there. Fife Council can’t fund it but hopefully we can facilitate discussions and move it along.

“There is land up there that could be used. It always comes down to money but there’s an opportunity to do something and we should make it happen.”

Ronit Wolfson, Royal Mail spokeswoman, said, “There are no immediate plans to change the way we sort or deliver mail in the Dunfermline area.

“Royal Mail operates an open and honest policy with our staff and any modernisation or efficiency proposals are always discussed first with them.”

There is commercial interest and Dunfermline businessman John Wilson, group chair of The Tannson Group, said, “We’re putting together a scheme for a lorry park and some employment and if they’re interested Fife Council and Helen Law need to come to the table and sit down with me.

“We have to discover if there’s a market for it.”

He also said the proposal had nothing to do with WMS Projects, which went bust in March.

[bustedflush]

Deliver a lorry park?

Never fit on my trolley.