Liberal Democrat councillors Christian Martin and Barbara Janke have today demanded that any residents in Clifton who are hit with parking fines caused by delays in the Clifton Village Residents’ Parking Scheme should have their charges cancelled.
The pair’s request comes after the recent announcement that the roll out of the Residents’ Parking Scheme for Clifton Village will be deferred until mid-March 2015. This has had a knock-on effect for the Clifton East scheme, which the mayor has confirmed will now be delayed until late April 2015.
Christian and Barbara were also shocked to learn that St Johns School have had to pay out over £1000 for 7 permits for teachers at the Lower Redland Road site. The school has been forced to spend the money, originally earmarked for education, on staff parking permits as a result of the introduction of mayor’s residents’ parking scheme.
Cllr Martin, councillor for Clifton East ward, said:
Cllr Christian Martin
“What’s happening at St Johns School is just one example of how the mayor’s one-size-fits-all parking scheme is wreaking havoc across the city. I would like him to explain to parents why the schools affected should have to use their hard-pressed budgets to pay for unavoidable parking for staff. Surely this cannot be right?
“Residents, parents and businesses have a right to question the validity of the parking charges that will arise from the delays caused by the council’s inability to get things right first time around. We therefore want parking fines incurred in Clifton, up until the Clifton Village and Clifton East schemes go live, to be annulled; the cancellations could be easily administered. The aim of parking enforcement should not be to extract cash from members of the public who are caught up in the middle of a problem that they have had no say over.
“Our residents deserve a lot better than this; we want officers to be more flexible and understanding with their approach and to use common-sense. The mayor repeatedly says that he’s listening to all voices so will he listen to us now?”
Cllr Janke, councillor for Clifton ward, added:
Cllr Barbara Janke
“Residents were not consulted about the scheme and many will not even be aware that the Clifton Village parking scheme has been delayed. Quite a few have already unfairly received a punitive fine when they have had no option to park anywhere else.”
