Parking Wardens

[andrewb]

Does anyone actualy think they have a positive impact on our town? After all it's our town, and I havn't met many people in favour of them. We need some sort of restrictions, I mean some places it's just plain obvious that people shouldn't be able to park. If it's a genuinly busy street which isn't wide enough to allow double parking and traffic flowing freely then of course this causes a nuisance. However I don't personaly see a problem with people parking on quiet streets like Dutton Street (Between Old mcdonalds and blockbuster), its close to town and helpfull for quick shoppers. I used this example simply because I already knew the parking rules (10am-4pm no parking).

I do not think that the way to tackle genuine parking problems (such as the narrow busy streets and bus stops etc) is to wham someone a £60 fine on their first offence, usualy without even talking to them about it, because we all know how sneaky the majority of parking wardens are. I've often seen them hiding behind other cars or buildings waiting until people have moved from their cars etc. To encourage the wardens to ticket cars by giving them bonuses only adds to this sort of ticketing. You may say "People shouldn't be parked there in the first place" but this is exactly why I am making this post, because half the time theres nothing wrong with someone stopping there for a while.

In the great scheme of things, the £60 fine is just taking money from people who are quite possibly otherwise law abiding citizens. If you put that in line with antisocial behaviour and such, these people mostly get nothing, because they're not an easy target like a parked car.

I have started a poll because I want to know just how many people think they have a positive inpact on our town. I noticed one on the parkwise website where 94% of people disagreed with "Has Parkwise made a positive difference to improve the flow of traffic in your area ?".

Ps. Who is it that has control over parkwise, is it LCC or HBC?

[John_Timmins]

seen a few which have actually asked people to move there cars before they stampo a ticket on their cars so imo they seem to be ok...better than in alot of other places

[SPUGGIE J]

Due to the lack of a large parking area the exception being the Ardale shopping in the town can be a nightmare. Even if its just a fleeting visit you can still end up being late back if caught with something else to do. I my opinion the lack of close well lit easy parking is helping kill the shopping in Accy as when in town you are always concious of how long you have to shop and get back to the car. As people dont consider the Arndale carpark to be safe then if they need a lot of shopping they go elsewere so there is less pressure to return to their vehicle befor they are "zapped" with a ticket. Some of the wardens may be fair but what about the rest.

[Mick]

It would be good if they try walking down Blackburn road and put a ticket on all the cars that use the pavment to park on instead of the road they would make a fortune i am sick of having to go round cars parked on the pavement

[Madhatter]

What you've just said spuggie is that its not the traffic wardens keeping people away from the town but decent parking facilities. If you've got a street where half of it can be safely turned in to on street parking half hour bays then yes I agree, but if you don't have control, you end up with cars everywhere, every street will have parked cars on it.
Here the council controls the car parks, and tickets cars, but no one controls the streets so the safest place to park is on the double yellows, or the no waiting box.
It ruins the town, creates a cluttered feel to it, can reduce traaffic flow, block emergency vehicles, ambulances etc, can be dangerous for people crossing the road, and footpaths can get obstructed.
When I was there last I parked a mc donalds, it was the only car park I could see.
edit
There ya go, micks posted exactly my point while I was writing that. You'd have that all over if you didn't have them. Don't expect people to use common sense when parking cyfer, cos they don't

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Madhatter

When I was there last I parked a mc donalds, it was the only car park I could see.

I just eat them not park them

[jackyalex]

the last time we visited accrington we parked in the multi car park,we tried to find one of those green time cards couldnt find one anywhere so we just went shopping well i think you could guess what happened yes we got a ticket,we then went to the town hall and complained but we still had to pay the fine of £10 otherwise if we we waited to see if our complaint wasnt successful we would have to pay £20,its not fair when your a visitor to the town and they dont have the cards availible,so much for improving tourism to the area but it prob happens everywhere with the lack of information

[Madhatter]

What green time cards?
I thought the arndale was free parking, is it not?

[lettie]

You need a disk to park at the Arndale. These are available from some of the shops but they frequently run out of them. I have one in the car somewhere and I was once fined even though I was displaying my disk. When I complained I was told to prove it......

I was livid and have never parked in town since. I'd only parked in town because I was called to assist at one of the local clinics... I would get on a bus and shop in Manchester rather than park in Accy..

[Madhatter]

A disk? As an outsider comin in to accy I wouldn't know what the heck that was, how stupid, do they want to allienate tourists and visitors?
Whats wrong with pay and display.
I've travelled the country and I've never heard of having to have a disk

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by mick

It would be good if they try walking down Blackburn road and put a ticket on all the cars that use the pavment to park on instead of the road they would make a fortune i am sick of having to go round cars parked on the pavement

Mick I wholeheartedly agree.........If you have a pram to push or a wheelchair, there is no way of getting past these cars unless you go into the road....definitely not safe.

[Margaret Pilkington]

MH...the disks are free in the Arndale shopping centre. I did hear a rumour that the disk parking was set to be scrapped though.....I'm not sure what they will put in its place. Accrington is one of the few places where the town centre parking is free.....well, as long as you use your disk.

[Madhatter]

absolutely stupid, why don't they just use ticket machines, like normal people.

AND it's not promoted that you have free parking, thats a real puller for a town that size. Its 80p an hour in Nuneaton

[Margaret Pilkington]

Parking is FREE.......NO CHARGE....how many places can say that?

[SPUGGIE J]

Only because the cash is being collected by other means.