Parking confusion (From Braintree and Witham Times)

Parking confusion

4:21pm Thursday 11th December 2008

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I popped into Braintree on Sunday morning for 20 minutes because my girlfriend wanted to do a quick shop in George Yard.

We parked in Manor Street with many other cars.

On return, we noticed every vehicle had a parking infringement notice on the windscreen.

One lady, who was unloading her car to clean a shop, returned two minutes later to find she had received a £70 fine.

Like all law-abiding citizens, I have no problem with people being fined for illegal parking, but I believe this to be an attempt to fleece Braintree residents of their hard-earned money at Christmas time and at the beginning of a financial downturn.

I, almost certainly like all the other drivers, believed that it was okay to park along the stretch of Manor Street outside the museum.

I have a feeling that the council has recently changed the sign in question without telling the public. The wording “Resident parking at all other times” is new.

Even if they claim the sign has been there for years, in my opinion, it is very confusing and ambiguous. It is positioned to clearly show the end of the residential area.

One side of the sign (the residential side) reads “Permit holders only”, which is clear and obvious.

The side where I parked states an allowance, with restrictions.

These restrictions mention “Residents”.

I can only assume this to mean residents of Braintree as there are no residential properties/shops in this area of Manor Street.

If the sign were to read “Permit holders only at all other times”, then there would be no confusion, the meaning would be clear.

I feel that the sign needs to be changed to make the restrictions clear.

STEVE

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