Bristol residents get parking fines for putting cars on driveways

Residents living on a street in Bristol have been left furious after more than 100 of them were given parking tickets in one day for leaving their cars on areas they believed were driveways.

Those living in King George’s Road, Bristol are allowed to put their cars on a drive area between the road and pavement in front of their houses.

But the system which has worked well up until now was thrown into chaos last weekend when a parking warden arrived and slapped fines on scores of vehicles.

Strict rules in a street n Bristol dictate where people can park (red lines added by MailOnline)

Locals were told they could use driveways between the road and a pavement but the council claims some encroached upon the pavement

Locals were told they could use driveways between the road and a pavement but the council claims some encroached upon the pavement

It is understood a car parked in the street overstepped the mark and encroached onto the pavement, sparking the mass ticketing.

Resident Jean King, 89, was one of those handed fines of up to £70 while she was away on holiday.

She said: ‘I came back from holiday last night and found the ticket stuck my windscreen.’

The pensioner said she had trouble sleeping worrying about how to pay the fine and where to park in future.

Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said: ‘The traffic warden went down and ticketed every car on every driveway. There are more than 100.

‘We were told by all the authorities we would be allowed to park [there]. Something’s gone wrong somewhere.’

Residents say more than 100 cars were given parking tickets on their driveways on Sunday

Residents say more than 100 cars were given parking tickets on their driveways on Sunday

Drivers have to position their cars so they don't encroach on either the road or the pavement

Drivers have to position their cars so they don’t encroach on either the road or the pavement

The dispute stems from work done to widen the road for bus routes.

Where residents had previously parked their cars on the kerb, double yellow lines were put down and they were forced onto the new driveways leading up to their homes.

They fear that if the truce with the council over parking is broken, they will be forced to battle it out for spaces in already crowded side streets.

In a statement, Bristol City Council initially claimed only ‘several’ cars were given tickets. They later said 10 cars received notices of fines and

A council spokesperson said: ‘A local resident reported a vehicle that was illegally parked blocking the shared-use path. 

‘In response we sent out a civil enforcement officer to the street to investigate. In the process several vehicles were ticketed along the street.

‘There is currently an agreement in place which should allow local residents to park on the drive area of the pavement as long as they aren’t on the public grass verge or blocking the main pavement or shared-use path.’   

Before: Until 2016, the road (pictured in 2012) was narrower and did not have double yellow lines  but since it was widened for a bus route, residents have had to position their cars on driveways. They now fear tactics by parking wardens will force them into crowded sideroads

Before: Until 2016, the road (pictured in 2012) was narrower and did not have double yellow lines but since it was widened for a bus route, residents have had to position their cars on driveways. They now fear tactics by parking wardens will force them into crowded sideroads

The council spokesman added: ‘We apologise for any inconvenience suffered by anyone who parked this way and still received a penalty charge notice on Sunday.

‘If anyone feels like they have been unfairly ticketed, we’d encourage them to appeal the ticket using the instructions on the back of the notice.’ 

 



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