There has been quite a hullabaloo over parking in Ludlow of late. More than 200 fines have been issued after six in the evening during the last few months.
There is no doubt that we have problems with parking in the town centre that we need to address. Parking on pavements and in disabled bays without a legitimate blue badge are commonplace offences in Ludlow that I find particularly heinous. Blocking the entrance to Quality Square is another – we must keep this clear for 999 access.
For the most part, it’s obvious where you can and can’t park. But there is one place where people think they can park and they are getting fined week in, week out.
None of the above cars are parked legally
The yellow line arrangement here is rather curious. Many people were not aware of the lines before because they had worn out. The whole market area has now had new lines painted after we unitary councillors kicked up a fuss in the press about parking enforcement.
You’d expect yellow lines on the road leading to Quality Square. But I don’t understand why there is such a large box enclosed by double yellow lines. Regardless of the sense of this arrangement, officers tell us parking within the box is illegal. Many people have found this out to their cost in recent months.
I had hoped to be writing about Shropshire Council’s new parking policy by now. It is far more sensible approach than we have seen of late. However, the paper was pulled from last week’s cabinet meeting. I do not know why. We councillors want discussions with enforcement teams before any crackdown. White and yellow lines should be painted and signage clear. We are happy then to take part in a public information campaign, even drive it ourselves. After that, the council should clamp down if it sees fit.
Remember, our car parks offer 15 minutes free parking and are free after 6pm.
Meanwhile, here are a couple of classics of bad parking in Ludlow.
Upper Galdeford. This driver didn’t even manage to get near the kerb.
Charlton Rise. Why completely block the pavement on an empty road?
Agree with the totality of your remarks – there’s no obvious reason why sensible evening parking shouldn’t be permitted in Castle Square- and I do wish there was an effective way of stopping pavement parking.. partially sighted people could have walked straight into that vehicle on Charlton Rise. The lower end of Hillside is another area where selfish or thoughtless motorists often obstruct the pavement, as is the top end of Hucklemarsh near to the junction with Dodmore Lane, which resembles a pavement car park for commercial vehicles at the end of the working day.
There is a train of thought that as there are so many cars parked in the adjacent roads with no public car parks available and not much evidence of people using the footpaths ,that it is very reasonable to park partially on the pavements to allow an easier throughput of traffic on roads that are usually choked by parked cars.
what law is being broken by parking in the area pictured?
I ticket I received when parked there was for ‘parking in a restricted street’.
As there are no street signs, no name for the street, it’s town council property and there are regularly market stalls on that spot, the ticket was successfully challenged.
If tickets are issued on a tenuous legality, it would confirm the motive, i.e its financial.
I’ve been monitoring the parking in Galdeford all week. On average, there have been 17/18 cars parked there (some very badly!), of which only 4 have had parking permits at any given time (+ one visitor parking permit). Twice I have not been able to park anywhere except a car park, despite driving around for ages (I have a parking permit). Most of the cars parked, have not moved all week. Why aren’t other areas enforced for parking?
One night, a while ago, when over 30 parking tickets were issued there were over 60 places in the car going free.
Tim,
As I think a number of people have said before. They would use the Car Park if there was better lighting.
I do not know if this is a fact or not as I do not venture into town much in the evenings
As a renowned councilor, Could you influence this. ??
Rick
I have often been told this but it ignores the fact that most tickets were issued at the height of summer when light was not an issue. Also there are seven lights in the car park and the entrance is now well illuminated thanks to Pizza Express and its lights, the illuminated toilets and the one street light.
Would someone like to check the law.I am thinking that parking is not allowed on the OUTSIDE of double yellows……normally parking on the inside would be on the pavement and therefore an obstruction offence.Not the case here.
Also I don’t believe the market square can be defined as a “highway” as required for the legal application of parking restrictions.Any local solicitor got a few spare minutes?
Some parts are highway – the part where the former Town Hall (demolished in the 1980s) was sited would not be. I believe the part where Andy’s first photo (the night time shot) shows could well be highway, but the ‘larger’ part towards the castle is where the Town Hall was and this has not become highway since its demolition as far as I’m aware.
DJ can I refer to the royal market charter?
I doubt that would be of much use! A good idea might be to look up old Ordnance Survey town maps showing the Town Hall and the streets around it circa 1960s or 1970s. That would give a good indication of what has historically been highway. The Town Council I believe own the site of the Town Hall and they’d have a good idea (or should do!) of what land they own as freehold (and free of highway status). Good luck.