Parking, again.

[Madhatter]

Thoughless motorists who put pedestrians' lives at risk by parking illegally in Atherstone town centre are being targeted in a major police crackdown.

Officers have teamed up with Warwickshire County Council and are working together to flush out illegal parking in Long Street, Market Street and Church Street - issuing £30 fixed penalty fines if restrictions are breached.

"We do listen to the concerns of our community and illegal and inconsiderate parking in this area has been highlighted to us as being a great concern to the public," explained Inspector Paul Judson, of Atherstone Police.

"Often illegal parkers can block the roads and, on occasion, impatient motorists have driven on the footpaths to get around an obstruction that should not have been there in the first place.

"This is a very dangerous practice which puts pedestrians at risk."

The first phase of the operation, which was due to start yesterday (Wednesday), saw the repainting and upgrading of double yellow lines along the three town centre roads being targeted in the clampdown.

"The town centre is already a no parking area and we are keen to remind residents of this," said Insp Judson.

"It is hoped that by making the signage even clearer, motorists will take heed of the restrictions and park legally by taking advantage of the abundance of free car parks situated around the town centre.

"We will be placing no waiting cones along these roads to keep them clear for the council to repaint the lines and officers will be in the area enforcing the parking restrictions as a priority during the period."

Along with fixed penalty fines any vehicles found to be causing an obstruction could even find their vehicles towed away.

Insp Judson added: "We intend to increase the enforcement of parking restrictions in this area in the coming months.

"We ask that motorists behave responsibly to help us to make Atherstone town centre a safer place to live in, work in and visit."
www.tamworthherald.co.uk

[Madhatter]

This is welcomed by responsible residents of Atherstone and is no doubt something to do with the complaints the police have been receiving by phone call and on the desk about parking around the market street junction. Drive down market street in a transit van and you end up having to drive on the pavement to get past the car parked outside Swift & co. Anything longer than a transit and you can't get out due to cars parked on the no parking area.
Good luck to the line painters, they'll need it, in true Atherstone style the people of Atherstone think they have a right to park there and will even get out of the of the car, move the cones, stack them, get back in and park where they were.

It's time Atherstone was pedestrianised, at least between the hours of 10 till 3 from the Nationwide down to the Library and In Market Street. Market Street is already supposed to be vehicle free on Tuesday and Friday but since NWBC got n outside company to do the Market, the road hasn't been closed off and cars illegally drive down on both days as if the road was open.

[Madhatter]

I went through town for the first time this week and the parking is back to normal again after repainting the yellow lines and spending a day giving tickets out.

Also the no traffic down market street on market days seems to have been abbandoned. The barrier is no longer put out and although there is a road sign saying no traffic tue's and fridays 9-3 no body takes any notice of it and the police never enforce it.