Moray Council approves new disabled parking spaces in Elgin

The decision follows a detailed review aimed at improving access for Blue Badge holders and better aligning parking with future town centre improvements.

The review was prompted by earlier commitments to revisit disabled parking following the reopening of North Street to traffic following completion of construction at the Poundland building, and it responds to long-standing concerns raised by disabled users about accessibility and misuse of current spaces. The review also benchmarked provision in Elgin against towns of a similar size across Scotland, confirming that Elgin already offers significantly more disabled parking, both on- and off-street, than comparable locations. Key changes include:

• Removal of spaces on Commerce Street, which are on a steep gradient and often misused by unauthorised drivers. The removal of these spaces would enable changes to the town centre which are proposed as part of the Levelling Up Fund (LUF).
• Introduction of new disabled parking bays on High Street (west of Batchen Street and East End) and North Guildry Street, offering level surfaces, improved safety, and proximity to key town centre services.

The new spaces present a valuable opportunity to enhance accessibility as part of wider town centre improvements in Elgin. The two new bays on North Guildry Street will be funded through the council’s 2025/26 capital budget for Disability Adaptations. Whereas the High Street spaces would be part of works associated with the Levelling Up Fund.

A survey conducted in late 2024 found that while some accessible parking locations, like South Street, were well used, others saw low occupancy, or their use excluded some mobility impaired users as they were on a steep gradient
Consultation with some local Blue Badge holders and the Chair of Moray Disability Forum confirmed strong support for the proposed changes, particularly due to improved surface conditions and central location.

Cllr Marc Macrae, Chair of Moray Council’s Economic Development and Infrastructure Services Committee, said: “We committed to listening to the needs of people who use accessible parking spaces, and the result is making these practical changes to improve access in Elgin. By approving new parking locations that are safer and more level, we’re ensuring a better experience for Blue Badge holders and creating a more inclusive town centre.”

Initial works could begin in summer 2025, with further developments progressing alongside Levelling Up Fund (LUF) projects in 2026.

A consultation on the LUF active travel measures will take place this summer. Full details on all the LUF projects can be found at the My Moray website.