Drivers angry over receiving parking fines for 'off-street' cars
Angry motorists are being hit with £60 parking fines after leaving their vehicles in what, for years, has been considered off-street parking near the Whitehall Theatre.
Bellfield Street.
- By Craig McManamon
- Published in the Courier : 10.10.11
- Published online : 10.10.11 @ 11.18am
Traffic wardens have started to book drivers who park in a layby on Bellfield Street.
Upset drivers argue that there are no signs or road markings prohibiting them from parking there.
However, Dundee City Council has said that there are double yellow lines running along the road's edge that, although do not follow the contour of the layby itself, mean no parking.
Carpenter Tommy Weldon, of Top Class Carpets, which is next to the disputed layby, said the situation is proving a "nightmare" for customers who are unsure of where they can legally park.
He said: "From about 9am each morning, students from Dundee Uni park outside for the day leaving no spaces free outside the shop.
"When people come here it is not a quick five-minute trip, so we have always got to ask customers where they have parked in case they have gone into that bay.
"And if we are loading something into a van or car, we must keep an eye out for wardens."
"I used to park my car there until a notice was put on my windscreen telling me that if I do it again I will be booked. But there are no signs and people still consider it as offstreet parking."
The apparent lack of notice is also an issue for electrical outlet Audio Visual Solutions.
Owner Arthur Downie said he is not badly disrupted by the problem because he has private parking
But he added: "It's been used as off-street parking as long as we have been here and I think it is strange that traffic wardens choose now to start booking people.
"Luckily we have our own private parking so it doesn't bother us too much but for our customers it can be an issue.
"If we know someone is coming down we always make sure to tell them not to park there or they could find themselves with a ticket. If we didn't have our own parking then we would be furious with what is happening."
A council spokesman said: "We are enforcing the double yellow lines that are laid down on that road."
01.11pm - 10.10.2011 Steve Scott - Dundee, Scotland Report This
It's a problem throughout the west end that's festered on and on in the last number of years. The council needs to get its act together and sort out parking once and for all. Building new car parks in the town wont help. Some people just will not pay for parking, and they cause most of the problems.
01.55pm - 10.10.2011 Stephen - Fife, UK Report This
Are the lines legal - no breaks and correctly terminated? An appeal board will possibly ignore non correct markings but a court would through out the case.
02.06pm - 10.10.2011 Honest John - dundee, SCOTLAND Report This
This is typical of DCC head int the sand attitude regarding a problem. If the layby was proporly marked and the double yellow lines marked correctly, i.e. into the layby this would not be happening. I sugeest all Student who have been affected start a FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN and DO NOT PAY!
02.19pm - 10.10.2011 Ali C - Dundee, UK Report This
The laws on double yellow lines are pretty strict and tickets can get appealed if the council haven't marked them properly... look at this site for some tips! http://www.appealnow.com/parking-tickets/parking-ticket-lines-signs/
05.45pm - 10.10.2011 novaecosse - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Although DCC are technically correct - double yellow lines cover from the centre of road to road edge including laybys, the Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 5, para 20.5 recommends the lines should be laid at the back of the layby and not as a continuation of the main carriageway edge to avoid ambiguity
03.50pm - 11.10.2011 Arthur Downie - Dundee, Scotland Report This
I dont think these traffic wardens really know the harm they are doing to local businesses. Customers are extremely difficult to find and most now go to the shopping centres on the outskirts of town with free parking and free from attack from apache wardens Arthur Downie. Audio Visual Solutions.
07.52am - 14.10.2011 Confused - Dundee, Scotland Report This
What is the purpose of the layby if you can't park in it?
11.45am - 14.10.2011 R.M. Johnston - Birkenhead, Merseyside Report This
Definition of a lay by: n. 1. A paved area beside a main road where cars can stop temporarily. If the DCC have called it a lay by then they themselves have admitted that it is for temporary parking.
04.36pm - 15.10.2011 your momma - your house, Narnia Report This
There is a big difference between a layby and a parking bay. A lay by is for stopping temporarily, this does not mean parking. Stopping temporarily is bringing the vehicle to a stop and the engine remains running with the driver in the car, parking is leaving the vehicle unattended.
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