I mentioned some time ago that our local council were wanting to introduce four resident's parking spaces into our otherwise very quiet, no-parking, street (we all have our own off-street parking). We were not happy.
Firstly every street resident received a letter from the council planning folk explaining their intentions, and asking for our thoughts on the matter. The letter explained that they always took residents opinions very seriously.
Every single person wrote back saying that we were 100% against the idea.
So, what did they do? They totally ignored us, and we now have a row of cars parked opposite our houses.
Our street is narrow (which is why there were previously no parking spaces), so the council have had to squeeze them in. The national 'official' size regulations for an on-street parking bay is 2.6 Metres by 5.00 Metres. The parking bays in our street are 1.8 Metres wide, with no separate length markings.
They are nearly a whole Metre too narrow.
Of course, now there are always a few 'chancers' who park illegally there as well (purple van above), which often means that we have the whole length of the street littered with vans, delivery bikes, taxis, etc, where previously there was none.
What can we do about it? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
You buy a house in a nice quiet street, then along comes some petty bloody bureaucrat and changes everything.
Here those bays would be permanently full of large camper vans, the modern day blight on our island's roads.
ReplyDeleteThat could happen here too. I do know of several 'lay-by's' up behind Brighton that are always filled with camper vans of the new-age traveler variety. What a mess they make!
DeleteI understand your concerns, I do wish we had double yellow lines on one side of our street, it's like a chicane weaving through parked cars.
ReplyDeleteMuch of the street has parking bays in front of their houses, so backing out becomes a three-point-turn (or more) in order to avoid the cars parked opposite. Of course the council ignore such basic things.
DeleteIt often seems that community consultation is just a tick box exercise - that's if it even happens at all. Is that purple van on double yellow lines? It is impossible to tell from your photograph.
ReplyDeleteYes it is, and most of the parked cars don't exhibit 'resident parking permits'. Where are the traffic wardens when you want them!!!
DeleteCould you or another resident start to photograph vehicles that are parked on the double yellows and send those images to Brighton Council? At the very least this might stimulate more regular visits from traffic wardens slapping on tickets.
DeleteOn the Brighton & Hove Council website, please check out this section in Parking:- "Report a vehicle parked where it should not be".
DeleteI have contacted the 'Parking Police' on occasions, and they have been round quite quickly to fine them. But I don't want to be doing it all the time. They should make regular visits.
DeleteI can sympathise with how annoying it is Cro.
ReplyDeleteIt's the same here outside my house. Mostly the cars belong to my neighbours, their visitors or workmen. They all have off-street parking but it seems to be too much trouble to actually leave their cars on their own driveways.
We always have problems with workmen parking wherever they wish. I think they pass on the fines to their clients.
DeleteI'm surprised that Brighton council condescended to allow any parking, I thought that their violently green credentials meant that they wanted to outlaw all cars from the city?
ReplyDelete