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Search forConsistency would be just the ticket on Watling Street parking
Thursday, November 20, 2008, 12:00
Recently I got a ticket for parking on the pavement right by our shop even though the pavement is very, very wide and parking there does not cause an obstruction.
I would also like to point out that this area is used constantly by us shop owners and customers every day when all the bays are full.
Our business as been open for four months and there has never been a problem with parking in the area – so I genuinely thought it was acceptable to do so.
I went to the shop next door to warn them about this action and was told that they had been told by the police that as long as you pull your car to one side of the path that it was alright to park there!
The following day a police officer (not the one who issued my ticket) and a community officer were walking past our shop so I asked them what the rule was about parking on the pavement. He told me it was an offence.
I was confused by this as he had just walked past a car that was parked on the pavement near where I got my parking ticket, so I needed to know how we stood, to which the reply was all officers are different and I could take a chance on parking on the pavement but I may get a ticket. That day they were not being issued, thankfully.
I need to make it clear that I was not trying to get the car that was parked there that day a ticket (sour grapes) or one that had been in a bay for more than two hours I just needed to know the rules, which seem to be that depending on the mood of the officer that day you may or may not get a ticket,
The bays outside the row of shops are another issue as you are only allowed to park in them for two hours during the day so I asked if about this as I park my car all day in them, again he replied that depending on the officer you may or may not get a ticket. All I want is consistency!
So the rules are quite clear now for me, walk to work!
Paul Darkes via email
To park or not to park... The shops and parking bays on Watling Street in Wilnecote. (PB10119-0461TH)
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