Villagers' fury at 2am parking tickets
Devon 24
devon.editorial@archant.co.uk
04 May 2006
ANGRY Lympstone villagers have attacked community policing after an early-morning crackdown on illegal parking saw several vehicles ticketed outside their homes.
A number of villagers say police were over officious when at around 2.30am on Monday a "stealth ticketing operation" at the junction of Malt Field and Longmeadow Road was carried out.
One resident, Stuart Woollier of Longmeadow Road, said: "With parking in the village being at such a premium, especially in this area, wouldn't it have been more community inded of the police to knock on a few doors and introduce themselves?"Maybe they could have offered suggestions such as a meeting to discuss the issue or ideas for implementing a residents' parking scheme."But sadly not. Instead we are lumbered with £30 fines for obstructing the pavement."I suppose it's comforting to know there is nothing better for a PC to do in Lympstone at 2.30am than put tickets on cars. All the real criminals must have been asleep" .
But councillor Peter Acca, deputy chairman of Lympstone parish council, hit back. "Last year extra double yellow lines were introduced at the top and bottom of the village for access and safety reasons," he said. "Up to that point police had been lenient when people parked half on the verge and half on a pavement, despite it blocking access."The police warned us last year that this would not be tolerated any more, and people still try to get away with it."
Mr Acca conceded that mixed signals had been given out. At the bottom end of the village a sign restricting parking to night-time accompanies the double yellow lines but there is no such sign near Malt Field and Longmeadow Road. He added: "I assume that because of the lack of signs some residents think it is still okay to park overnight."Sgt Paul Hutchinson said: "We received a specific complaint from residents regarding access and parking on the pavement, and that's why tickets were given out.
"At the parish meeting two weeks ago, it was made clear to me that parking is an issue that concerns many and we shall be working with the parish council to try to address these concerns.
devon.editorial@archant.co.uk
04 May 2006
ANGRY Lympstone villagers have attacked community policing after an early-morning crackdown on illegal parking saw several vehicles ticketed outside their homes.
A number of villagers say police were over officious when at around 2.30am on Monday a "stealth ticketing operation" at the junction of Malt Field and Longmeadow Road was carried out.
One resident, Stuart Woollier of Longmeadow Road, said: "With parking in the village being at such a premium, especially in this area, wouldn't it have been more community inded of the police to knock on a few doors and introduce themselves?"Maybe they could have offered suggestions such as a meeting to discuss the issue or ideas for implementing a residents' parking scheme."But sadly not. Instead we are lumbered with £30 fines for obstructing the pavement."I suppose it's comforting to know there is nothing better for a PC to do in Lympstone at 2.30am than put tickets on cars. All the real criminals must have been asleep" .
But councillor Peter Acca, deputy chairman of Lympstone parish council, hit back. "Last year extra double yellow lines were introduced at the top and bottom of the village for access and safety reasons," he said. "Up to that point police had been lenient when people parked half on the verge and half on a pavement, despite it blocking access."The police warned us last year that this would not be tolerated any more, and people still try to get away with it."
Mr Acca conceded that mixed signals had been given out. At the bottom end of the village a sign restricting parking to night-time accompanies the double yellow lines but there is no such sign near Malt Field and Longmeadow Road. He added: "I assume that because of the lack of signs some residents think it is still okay to park overnight."Sgt Paul Hutchinson said: "We received a specific complaint from residents regarding access and parking on the pavement, and that's why tickets were given out.
"At the parish meeting two weeks ago, it was made clear to me that parking is an issue that concerns many and we shall be working with the parish council to try to address these concerns.
posted by Neil Herron at 1:58 PM
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