FIFE'S provost has apologised after images were shared online prompting accusations that he violated the council-enforced pavement parking ban.
Provost Jim Leishman was pictured getting out of his car on Robertson Road, with the wheels sitting on the edge of the kerb.
One person shared the pictures with the Dunfermline Press, commenting: “The Provost of Fife seems to think that the rules don't apply to him and he can park on the pavement blocking the road.
But Leishman insisted that it wasn’t intentional.
He said: “I was going in to pick up my fish supper that I pre ordered, and I had to reverse back to allow cars to get past.
“It was just a case of bad parking for five minutes, I didn’t even know I was on the kerb.
“If anyone’s wanting to have a look and judge it, that’s fine. It was nine inches on the kerb. My tire didn’t even hit the pavement.
“It’s about people parking on the pavement for a long time when people can’t get past them. That’s what the issue is about, not someone like me or anybody else picking up their carry-out and going away.
“If I’d been fully on the pavement, I could see the issue, but I apologise for my bad parking.”
As of September 1, those who violate the ban face a £100 fine, or £50 if it’s paid within two weeks.
Bringing it in before a list of exempt streets has been been finalised caused confusion in the city, with some accusing Fife Council of poor communication.
There have been reports of buses struggling to get past vehicles that line certain streets, which Leishman said contributed to his positioning.
He added: “Robertson Road is going to have a problem, there was a bus trying to get through and they had to knock on people’s doors to get up the street.
“I wasn’t wanting that to happen, so I reversed back. Unfortunately my back wheel was nine inches on the kerb.”
