Pleas at previous meetings for the police and/or Argyll and Bute Council to stop vehicles using the prom as a parking space resurfaced when Port Bannatyne resident Rhona McIntyre made an impassioned plea from the public benches to restore the popular seafront feature as a haven for walkers.

Said Mrs McIntyre: "There is great concern about the taking over of the
prom for car parking, and I am alarmed about the suggestion that it
may become a car park.

"The prom is much older than the motor car, and it cannot be appropriated as a car park.

"Apparently it is being used by ferry commuters, but that is totally
unneccessary. The gardens have already been encroached on, and we have a
boy racer problem. We have to put a stop to it."

Argyll and Bute councillor Len Scoullar tried to reassure Mrs McIntyre that there were no plans to put a formal car park on the prom - but he admitted there was nothing the police could do, for now, to stop people parking there.

"In order for the police to take action against parking here, there needs to be legislation," he said.

His colleague, Cllr Isobel Strong, also stated her opposition to the use of the prom as a car park - and provided a small crumb of comfort when she said she had received the annual application to hold a fair on the site during the second half of July, during which time parking won't be allowed.

But there was no joy for the anti-parking brigade from Inspector Macdonald Stephen of Strathclyde Police, who confirmed that at present it is not possible to legally prevent people parking on the prom - provoking members of the public to say that, in effect, meant people could park anywhere.

Cllr Scoullar agreed with the inspector and added: "You would have to get a court order to stop me parking in your drive. It's not illegal - signs are not enforced by law."

Ian Hopkins expressed his disbelief at this, replying: "You can therefore park anywhere you like on council land? Ten years ago I worked on the prom and was told not even to let bikes on there."

Cllr Strong added her condemnation of inconsiderate parking elsewhere.
She said: "I just saw the whole of King Street pavement with cars parked on it."

Jean Donald asked if it would be possible to provide key operated bollards to prevent unauthorised vehicles accessing the prom, but the inspector warned that the emergency services might object.

Finally, a word from our dictionary corner on the proper use of a promenade, which, according to Mrs McIntyre last Wednesday night and to our office copy of the OED, is "a public place for walking, especially a paved area along the sea front in a seaside town", while an esplanade is a large open area which would formerly have been outside a castle or a fort, as in Stirling or Edinburgh.

* Tell us your views on Rothesay's parking problems - is it perfectly acceptable to park your car on the prom? Does the town need more parking space? How can islanders be tempted out of their cars in the first place? Register or sign in below to post your comments - we'll choose the best to appear in the next issue of The Buteman.