A homelessness charity is calling for double yellow lines to be removed from outside its hub after a volunteer was fined for parking during a food drop-off.
Homeless Project Scotland (HPS) has lost an appeal to get the ticket thrown out despite having a dispensation from Glasgow City Council to park in the Argyle Street lay-by during loading and unloading.
However, the local authority said the fine was issued and appeal refused due to the traffic warden observing no activity around the vehicle “over a reasonable length of time”.
Chairman Colin McInnes, who co-founded HPS in 2019, said volunteers have parked there for three years “unhindered”.
Mr McInnes said: “We don’t cause any obstructions, we don’t cause any problems to businesses.
“If Glasgow City Council want to enforce parking fines for us using that space outside that unit, we [will have] to close down our service.
“What the council should maybe consider is stop fining us for parking and donate to us to provide the meals.”
HPS runs a soup kitchen seven nights a week under Glasgow’s Hielanman’s Umbrella next to Central Station in the city centre.
The Scotland-wide charity, which uses money donated by members of the public to buy and cook food, says around 310 people use its services each night.
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Mr McInnes said up to 1,500 sandwiches a day are dropped off at its hub.
He said the charity is struggling to attract drivers to pick up and drop off food, and incidents like this will put people off from helping.
The charity has been fined £30, which will double if not paid within 14 days.
It is now planning to launch a petition, calling on the council to remove the double yellow lines from the lay-by.
Mr McInnes added: “It’s time that the council donate instead of hate.
“We feel victimised by the council, we feel that we are being penalised by the council, and we feel as if we’re being punished for feeding hungry bellies.”
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Glasgow City Council confirmed HPS has dispensation for a number of vehicles to load and unload from the lay-by outside the charity’s premises in Argyle Street.
A spokesperson from the local authority added: “To comply with the dispensation, HPS must be actively loading and unloading their vehicles at this location.
“On 22 June a parking attendant observed the parked vehicle over a reasonable length of time with no loading or unloading taking place.
“As such a penalty charge notice was issued and the subsequent appeal was refused.”
