SCORES of what the newspaper headlines referred to as “parking ban rebels” defied parking restrictions that were introduced in the central square mile of Glasgow city centre in late October, 1958. Squads of “courtesy cops” warned them, however, that they would have to move their cars.

The ban on indiscriminate parking was introduced on a Monday. That day’s Evening Times reported that it “gave traffic in the town a Sunday look. In streets formerly thronged with vehicles in a nose-to-tail line, traffic flowed smoothly.” Bath Street (above) was one such example.

Glasgow Corporation and the city police praised the co-operation from motorists and said it had been as high as 95 per cent. The police said many motorists had been warned out of no-waiting streets, but drivers had been very co-operative. The police were for now focusing on no-waiting areas before turning their attention to streets with 30-minute waiting restrictions.

Read more: Herald Diary

Nevertheless, some drivers continued to ignore the new restrictions. Before 9am on the Tuesday, the “rebels” of West George Street, West Regent Street, Wellington Street and West Campbell Street were out in force, solidly lined up at the kerb on the 30-minute side. Drivers who parked for longer than half-an-hour, growled the police, could face prosecution as well as paying for the garaging of their impounded cars.