Letter: Parking Restrictions Cannot Be Changed on a Whim

Published on: 24 Oct, 2019
Updated on: 24 Oct, 2019

From John Rigg

R4GV borough councillor for Holy Trinity

Two comments please.

I represent R4GV not GGG [Apologies, now corrected. Ed]

Second, parking laws come in not at a whim of somebody. They are a result of set legal procedures being followed including consultation to be legally enforceable. Amendment of the law requires repeal and repeating procedures the council now intend to do at Burpham, as indicated.

In the debate, the officers advised it cannot be done on a whim (my words) there are legal procedures to follow. If someone is fined elsewhere for returning to a car-park too soon and complains: “Oh but the council does not enforce fines at Burpham. Why should l pay this fine when the lawful regulations still apply equally to both cases.”

The council cannot just say we told these residents it was fine to ignore the law.

Lawful procedures have to be followed by councils too but as a result of the persuasive presentations by residents every encouraging message possible was given. The council was listening, the procedures to review the arrangements will commence and no fines have so far been imposed here.

So, as l said, councils cannot suddenly say they will not enforce regulations. It is not muddying the waters. The clarification l might have added, if not already clear from the debate was: “Though there appears to be little intention of the council to do so until the arrangements change.”