LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS
NEWS
MATCHDAYS CAUSE TOPFLIGHT CHAOS
The chaos caused when no-one wants to accept responsibility for parking has been well-demonstrated in Wigan.
Employees in Nottingham get on their bikes
EMPLOYEES SEEK ALTERNATIVES TO THE CAR
The Workplace Parking Levy (WPL), which has been in operation for two months in Nottingham, has been received with mixed reactions in the city. There was an angry response from staff at Imperial Tobacco, who are threatening to strike over the charges, but many employees at other companies have sought alternative methods of transport or just accepted the costs.
Under the scheme, employers with 11 or more parking spaces now have to pay the city council £288 a year per space under the WPL – a cost that the majority of employers are passing on to their staff. Other
businesses are simply reducing the number of parking spaces.
The scheme, which aims to raise money to improve the city’s transport infrastructure, is predicted to raise £2m less than fi rst thought because fewer companies than expected registered spaces. Many employees are avoiding the charge by using different forms of travel. One such commuter is Kofi Ohene- Djan from the Capital FM Arena.
He told the BBC: ‘I live in Nottingham so I’m going to be on my bike. I probably would have done a bit of both (driving and cycling)
but I will defi nitely be on my bike now.’ His colleagues at Capital FM Arena have been given the option of paying their employer £52 per year for a parking permit, with the shortfall between the staff contribution and the bill made up by the Arena.
Councillor Jane Urquhart, who is in charge of transport, said the council still expected to meet its target over the 23-year period of the levy, generating an average of £14m a year. It will raise £8m this year rather than the £10m expected. The cost to companies is expected to rise to £380 per year in 2015.
UNLIMITED PARKING DELAYS DISCOVERY
An elderly man found dead in a hospital car park may have been there for two days, because he was parked in a Blue Badge space that has
www.britishparking.co.uk
unlimited parking time, it was reported in The Times. The 79-year-old was discovered slumped over the steering wheel in Derriford NHS
Trust in Plymouth. Car parking at the hospital is managed by VINCI Park, who issued a statement expressing its sympathy to the next of kin.
JUNE 2012 11
Residents in the Greater Manchester town face a parking nightmare on match days, as fans leave their cars on the streets around the DW Stadium, home to Premier League Wigan Athletic Football Club and Rugby Super League team Wigan Warriors.
Neither the police, nor the council accept responsibility for enforcing parking in the area, and there have been many instances of homeowners being unable to get out of their driveways. Kevin Hargreaves,
traffi c manager for the council, said: ‘The issue of vehicle obstruction is a police matter. We have consulted residents
about introducing parking restrictions but they have not wanted them. ‘We do have the option of carrying out a consultation again but residents need, to be aware that introducing yellow lines or permits will have an effect on their local amenity.’ Insp Glenn Jones of the Wigan Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: ‘This is not a police matter unless it causes an obstruction on a main route. ‘The council is
responsible for issuing penalty tickets if vehicles are parked on yellow lines. We do not believe that issuing tickets is the solution. The sports clubs do help out in addressing this problem by putting stewards on those streets so they can inform fans of the issue and advise them accordingly.’
Diego Cervo /
shutterstock.com
PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek /
shutterstock.com
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