PARKING wardens could soon be working the night shift in Glasgow city centre ... until 4am.

PARKING wardens could soon be working the night shift in Glasgow city centre ... until 4am.

Selfish drivers face having their cars towed during the late-night clampdown in one of the city's busiest clubbing streets.

Officials say the move is needed because motorists are blocking a taxi rank and bus stops in Sauchiehall Street, so hampering efforts to clear the city centre.

From tomorrow, cars parked illegally from 6-10pm will be given a ticket, towed away and impounded.

From May 2, there are plans for wardens to work 8pm-4am shifts, which will allow the ticketing and towing to be carried out throughout the night.

A council spokesman said it still had to arrange wardens to cover the late shifts, but hoped they would be in place for next month.

Glasgow Community and Safety Services is behind the plans.

The council-owned body runs the CCTV-monitored Nite Zones, which are aimed at increasing safety in the busiest nightlife areas and clearing the streets quicker using taxi queue marshalls.

However, bosses say illegally parked cars in the Nite Zone in Sauchiehall Street, between Charing Cross and Elmbank Street, are causing major problems.

GCSS managing director Phil Walker said: "Many cars park in the area illegally, both on restricted sections (yellow lines) and within the bus bays and taxi rank, forcing taxis to stop on the outer lane to pick passengers up.

"This impacts on people's safety and creates delays and traffic congestion at a time when people want to go home.

"Our priority is people and where unlawful parking affects their safety we will work with partners to target issues to maintain Glasgow's reputation of being a safe place to visit."

GCSS and the council have been building up to the towing campaign in recent weeks by leafleting vehicles to remind drivers of the rules.

The Nite Zone project in Sauchiehall Street started in June 2006, following the start of a similar initiative near Central Station.

The aim is to improve public safety and help people get home quicker after a night out in Glasgow. Police say the move has helped reduce the number of violent crimes in the city centre.

Details of the towing scheme emerged in a report to Glasgow's Local Licensing Forum, which was set up under the new Licensing Act.

It is made up of licensed trade representatives, local residents, councillors, and officials from the police, health board, council, and business and tourism bodies.