Optimism over push for more parking at busy Kirkcaldy GP surgery

That was the message given to local campaigner Chic Cotrell who has been fighting to improve the long-standing parking chaos experienced on an daily basis by patients attending GP surgeries at Whyteman’s Brae.

Mr Cotrell says he is “optimistic” that something can be done to provide more spaces for the hundreds of people who struggle to park for appointments with their doctor.

Following a meeting in March with Andrew Fairgrieve, director of estates with NHS Fife, Mr Cotrell received feedback on the various options which had been discussed.

You may also be interested in:

Kirkcaldy brothel madam - bid to seize £250,000 dirty money

ExxonMobil apologise after unplanned flaring

Memorial trees stolen from Fife park

“At the meeting I told him that you could fit in around 60 parking spaces on the land where you come out of the cemetery and head along towards the health centre which would go a long way to helping the problem, and he said that could be looked at,” said Mr Cotrell.

“The land is owned by Fife Council and as yet I have not heard back from them about this.”

“Another option we had discussed was getting more land for parking at the top of Whyteman’s Brae where the current overspill car park is and this is something Mr Fairgrieve is looking into.

“The third option we discussed was the NHS renting more land that used to be occupied by Nairn’s linoleum factory, but again it all comes down to money which there is not a lot of.

“The meeting was very positive and I am optimistic that something will happen.”

Councillor David Graham, Fife Council’s spokesman for health and social care, said: “We need to ensure that we continue to strive to get a solution which works for the patients who are, on many occasions, unable to walk distances. I look forward to hopefully seeing further positive developments to alleviate this long standing concern.”