EIGHT five-a-side footballers received a penalty they didn’t want recently after one of their regular sessions at Duloch Leisure Centre.

One of the men, who wanted to remain anonymous, contacted the Press after netting a £60 fine for parking just outside the facility earlier this month.

He said he and his fellow players had parked in the same place three times a week for the last eight years and were shocked to return to their vehicles at 6pm to see they had been issued with a ticket.

The man has since complained to Fife Council as he was unable to see why the area should be a restricted zone at 5.20pm.

“This parking fine, to eight hard-working people who regularly use council facilities, is a disgrace,” he said.

“I am outraged at Fife Council for this action. There is no safety issue, no school in attendance, no buses passing by and no issue whatsoever.”

Council technician engineer Scott Blyth responded saying the restricted parking zone was established in Nightingale Place last summer following extensive consultation with schools, the leisure centre, library, bus operating companies and Police Scotland.

He said reasons for its introduction included ensuring safe access was available for Calaiswood School, improving safety for pupils travelling to both Calaiswood and Duloch Primary School, providing safe access to Aldi and implementing a bus route which was originally planned for the site to take buses into Nightingale Place to serve the leisure centre and library, then onto Tesco.

He said the original stops had been removed from these destinations and access along the route without parking restrictions had proved impossible.

“The proposals were taken to the City of Dunfermline area committee for approval and subsequently advertised in the local press, on site and online,” said Mr Blyth.

“No objections were received to the proposals. 

“Tickets are issued to vehicles which enter the zone without displaying an appropriate blue badge or permit. If you’ve been parked within the zone without displaying one of these, that is why you received a ticket.

"Given the date and time the ticket was issued, I am confident there was alternative parking available within the designated car park for your vehicle rather than proceeding into the restricted area. 

“The signs upon entry to this area make it clear to drivers that the restrictions exist and drivers who choose to ignore these signs do risk receiving either a ticket from Fife Council, or indeed penalty points and a charge from Police Scotland.”

The man, however, said the inconsistency of the ruling and that enforcement did not take place at weekends – and the fact that similar zones weren’t in place in other locations – needed to be addressed.

“This is another useless Fife Council policy that isn’t consistent or transparently obvious,” he added.

“Every primary school in Dunfermline, especially St Margaret’s/Commercial, have real challenges with parking but don’t get a restricted zone or enforcement – why not? 

“I’m all for safety and safe roads but we have all parked outside the centre because of youths loitering in the car park or nearby Tesco, for eight years without any bother. We never ever park in or near disabled bays. It’s a disgrace.”