We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
IMPORTANT: Please make sure your posts do not contain any personally identifiable information (both your own and that of others). When uploading images, please take care that you have redacted all personal information including number plates, reference numbers and QR codes (which may reveal vehicle information when scanned).
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Parking issues outside my home
dc61
Posts: 43 Forumite
What a superb forum this is. I am not sure if my thread is relevant but I would be interested to have any views/comments on the situation.
We live in an end of cul de sac house opposite a Community Centre. The Centre have 2 (+1 resident space which they say they have permission to use) allocated parking spaces adjacent to my drive, one of which is painted for disabled use but there are no metal signs etc and the manager always parks in this place. They also have a huge car park at the opposite side of the Centre which means they would have to walk about 100 yards to the Centre. The roadway itself is coloured dark grey but with like a reddy colour mixed in which the Centre manager states means it is a "footpath". There are no yellow lines or markings/signage of any description but there are lamp posts and driveways. We have tried to find out who is responsible for the road but the Housing Association and the council state it is "unadopted"!!!
Since we moved in 4 years ago (new build), we have been plagued with inconsiderate parking by Centre Users and staff (mainly). We have been in dispute with the Centre staff from day one about this and have suffered abuse and threats by their so called volunteers and some users when we have found cars parked opposite our house obstructing our ability to easily get in and out of our drive. We installed a second drive last year (two cars) to try and alleviate the problem but this hasn't worked. We've been in touch with our MP who referred us to the Council and their Parking Manager has been in touch with both us and the Centre. He states that the Council are going to provide signs which inform the Centre users that they should not park outside, one for the Car Park stating it belongs to the community Centre and is for their users and he has also spoken to the Centre Manager stating they must take some responsibility for parking on the roadway outside the Centre. He says, in an email to me, this will take a "few weeks" but others say they have been told the same and nothing has happened.
To give you an idea of the space we are talking about, the width of the roadway would take three cars parked side by side to fill the space between our drive and the wall of the Centre. To leave our drive, we have to turn quite sharply to the right. There have been times when there have been between 10 and 15 cars parked in the area outside our house and our neighbours which completely blocks our access and egress. A recent wedding held there meant the car park, all the streets around the estate and outside our home were completely packed. The Centre staff did nothing about this and it was only when my husband remonstrated with a wedding party man that they did move their cars. The parking of cars outside happens every single weekend and virtually every day/evening in the week. Last week the builders were at the Centre and there were 7 vans parked in the area outside the house. I came home and it took me an 8 point turn to reverse into my drive (you have to reverse in otherwise you would be trapped trying to get out if even one car was parked opposite). The builder was actually stood there whilst I was struggling and he was very amused by my annoyance. The Police who called today said nobody could stop the builders, it was up to them where they parked!!!
My husband and I both work full time but the Centre Manager objected when I was off work last year following my mother's death saying that I was making the situation worse by being at home!!!!
We have tried negotiation and cooperation (although I have to admit my husband is not as cooperative as I am) but to no avail. Today we have had the Police here stating that if my husband parks his car on the roadway outside the house again they will "book him" as he is causing an obstruction. I pointed out that we have also rung the Police when we have been unable to get out but get no response. He said just keep ringing! I pointed out that we are also obstructed but he wasn't interested. I had a discussion with him and the Centre User and she told a pack of lies and he accepted everyone of them and said I was being unreasonable! He said the Centre manager had shown him a photo of my husband's car but when I said I have dozens of photos showing how ridiculous the situation gets he said he didn't want to see them!
So, does anyone have any advice or suggestions?? Do we have any rights??
We live in an end of cul de sac house opposite a Community Centre. The Centre have 2 (+1 resident space which they say they have permission to use) allocated parking spaces adjacent to my drive, one of which is painted for disabled use but there are no metal signs etc and the manager always parks in this place. They also have a huge car park at the opposite side of the Centre which means they would have to walk about 100 yards to the Centre. The roadway itself is coloured dark grey but with like a reddy colour mixed in which the Centre manager states means it is a "footpath". There are no yellow lines or markings/signage of any description but there are lamp posts and driveways. We have tried to find out who is responsible for the road but the Housing Association and the council state it is "unadopted"!!!
Since we moved in 4 years ago (new build), we have been plagued with inconsiderate parking by Centre Users and staff (mainly). We have been in dispute with the Centre staff from day one about this and have suffered abuse and threats by their so called volunteers and some users when we have found cars parked opposite our house obstructing our ability to easily get in and out of our drive. We installed a second drive last year (two cars) to try and alleviate the problem but this hasn't worked. We've been in touch with our MP who referred us to the Council and their Parking Manager has been in touch with both us and the Centre. He states that the Council are going to provide signs which inform the Centre users that they should not park outside, one for the Car Park stating it belongs to the community Centre and is for their users and he has also spoken to the Centre Manager stating they must take some responsibility for parking on the roadway outside the Centre. He says, in an email to me, this will take a "few weeks" but others say they have been told the same and nothing has happened.
To give you an idea of the space we are talking about, the width of the roadway would take three cars parked side by side to fill the space between our drive and the wall of the Centre. To leave our drive, we have to turn quite sharply to the right. There have been times when there have been between 10 and 15 cars parked in the area outside our house and our neighbours which completely blocks our access and egress. A recent wedding held there meant the car park, all the streets around the estate and outside our home were completely packed. The Centre staff did nothing about this and it was only when my husband remonstrated with a wedding party man that they did move their cars. The parking of cars outside happens every single weekend and virtually every day/evening in the week. Last week the builders were at the Centre and there were 7 vans parked in the area outside the house. I came home and it took me an 8 point turn to reverse into my drive (you have to reverse in otherwise you would be trapped trying to get out if even one car was parked opposite). The builder was actually stood there whilst I was struggling and he was very amused by my annoyance. The Police who called today said nobody could stop the builders, it was up to them where they parked!!!
My husband and I both work full time but the Centre Manager objected when I was off work last year following my mother's death saying that I was making the situation worse by being at home!!!!
We have tried negotiation and cooperation (although I have to admit my husband is not as cooperative as I am) but to no avail. Today we have had the Police here stating that if my husband parks his car on the roadway outside the house again they will "book him" as he is causing an obstruction. I pointed out that we have also rung the Police when we have been unable to get out but get no response. He said just keep ringing! I pointed out that we are also obstructed but he wasn't interested. I had a discussion with him and the Centre User and she told a pack of lies and he accepted everyone of them and said I was being unreasonable! He said the Centre manager had shown him a photo of my husband's car but when I said I have dozens of photos showing how ridiculous the situation gets he said he didn't want to see them!
So, does anyone have any advice or suggestions?? Do we have any rights??
0
Comments
-
Can you show us the place on GoogleStreetview so we can picture it?
I do think what the Council plan to do in terms of signage may be the only answer. Can you also put polite signs on your fence posts, may help a bit 'Thankyou for leaving our driveway clear and unobstructed' sort of thing.
Can't see how your OH can get a ticket for obstruction in your own cul-de-sac, sounds a horrible situation and am sorry I can't suggest a better approach to resolve it.PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
CLICK at the top or bottom of any page where it says:
Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD0 -
If you are unhappy with the Police Officer's response ring and aske to speak to the Inspector for your area and outline your complaint.
~Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone.~:)
0 -
Coupon-mad wrote: »Can you show us the place on GoogleStreetview so we can picture it?
I do think what the Council plan to do in terms of signage may be the only answer. Can you also put polite signs on your fence posts, may help a bit 'Thankyou for leaving our driveway clear and unobstructed' sort of thing.
Can't see how your OH can get a ticket for obstruction in your own cul-de-sac, sounds a horrible situation and am sorry I can't suggest a better approach to resolve it.
Not sure how to googlestreetview but if you tell me how I will do immediately.
We have no fences but there is a tree in the front garden so I will give your suggestion a try - will raise a few eyebrows if nothing else!!! :rotfl:
The situation IS horrible and we feel extremely isolated and unlistened to especially as we get no response when we raise concerns but the Centre gets an immediate response from the Police!!!0 -
Not sure how to googlestreetview but if you tell me how I will do immediately.
Go to https://maps.google.co.uk/
Enter your postcode/address in the search box and press Enter
Use your mouse scroll wheel to zoom in; at some point the screen should show photos of the location
Use your mouse to move around to give a suitable view - once you have one click the chain-link image to the upper-left; this gives a link which you can cope-paste into a forum reply.
Here's an example for a location near me.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=ml10+6ut&hl=en&ll=55.671776,-4.064201&spn=0.001088,0.00327&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=9.285812,26.784668&hnear=Strathaven+ML10+6UT,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=55.671776,-4.064201&panoid=HGrwkXhN_TAVOXSoAb9wZg&cbp=12,319.33,,0,22.90 -
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx0
-
we are the house to the left of the three parked cars next to the little black gate - the three cars are parked in the allocated spaces (one of which belongs to a house of course) but the parking issues are in the roadway area outside our house, alongside the wall to the Centre and across to our home. (we were obviously out the day this view was taken as there are no cars on our drive!).0
-
Who owns the centre?Sanctimonious Veggie. GYO-er. Seed Saver. Get in.0
-
Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »Who owns the centre?
Oi,whats with the username?-not amused....Went shoplifting at the Disneystore today.
Got a huge Buzz out of it.0 -
Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »Who owns the centre?
It's owned by the Council who lease it to the Management Committee but I believe the Housing Association also have some involvement. it has been impossible to find out who is responsible for what unfortunately.0 -
0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 352.3K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.7K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.4K Spending & Discounts
- 245.4K Work, Benefits & Business
- 601.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.6K Life & Family
- 259.2K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards