Parking

Came through Stourport this morning, as I do, and found two delivery trucks parked in High Street. Not, I might add, on the right-hand side over the No Loading starting at 8am nor in the parking bays on the left. Oh no these were parked on the left-hand side of the road either side of the pedestrian crossing.

Almost a fun moment when a van turned up that seemed to be wanting to unload for the butcher opposite, but in a demonstration of good sense he was waved away otherwise the road would have been down to two-thirds of a lane.

Seriously does no-one understand parking restrictions? We've had the tickets for motorbikes parked on the pavement next to double yellow lines and the current fuss is over the enforcement of the 23-hour parking rule in car-parks that has been in existence since at least 2007.

Stating that you've been parking there for over two years without problem isn't a justification, that's two years of 'not found out'.

Now I will state that the council is partially to blame for this. You can't buy a PnD ticket for a full day or more at these car-parks so this regulation only applies to season tickets and nothing on said tickets or application form states this restriction. No mention is made on the boards except the useful cop-out that  the off-street parking order applies; viewable at the offices (and online if you know where to look). So unless you actively seek out this rule there's no way to know about it.

While I still hold to the 'ignorance is no excuse' ruling, there is a difference between this and wilful ignorance. If I'd bought a season ticket I'd be expected to be told about any restrictions that are likely to apply to me in that position or at least be made aware that restriction apply and be given some easy means to discover them. Digging up the current "Wyre Forest District Council (Off-Street Parking Places) Consolidation Order" doesn't count.

As I've said before - to an extent this is contract law. You are paying WFDC to provide a service, the terms of which need to be stated up-front. If said rules are altered you need to be informed of them. Of course "to an extent" as this is the council, ergo government, and they can pretty much do what they want and expect you to keep you.

[Addendum - Although the Shuttle and  Nigel Knowles" are obsessing over the Bewdley residents' problems this 23-hour rule also applies to 12 out of 21 car-parks in Kidderminster, and 8 out of 11 in Stourport]