PARKING PROBLEMS IN PLANTATION ROAD

Introduction: Plantation Road is a small no-through road situated in Slade Green, Erith, Kent. The problems faced by the residents in Plantation Road appear to be indicative of problems experienced by hundreds of people everyday all over the country. The fact remains that ordinary decent people seem to be unable to go about their business without being hounded, bullied and exploited, by the people that we pay to order our lives to our satisfaction, and yet who repeatedly fail to do so.

What Is The Problem? For many years now the residents of Plantation Road have suffered problems brought about by the poorly thought out footway parking ban. Access problems, vehicle damage, anger, frustration and of course, parking fines. All of these problems are a direct result of the fact that the pavements in Plantation Road are particularly wide compared to the width of the road. In fact our pavement widths are 2.66m (8' 8") on one side and 2.77m (9' 1") on the other, whilst the road itself is just 6.1m (20') wide. With an average car being 2m (6' 6") wide (including wing mirrors), it doesn't take a genius to work out that, if people are not allowed to park on the pavement, there are going to be problems. It has always, therefore, made sense to park our cars with two wheels on the pavement so as to facilitate access and avoid vehicles being damaged. This had never caused problems for anyone until Bexley Council decided to poke their nose in.

First We Were Fine - Then We Were Fined: For years residents in this road used to park with two wheels on the footway and everyone was happy. Then Bexley Council, in its wisdom, decided to enforce a footway parking ban. This caused us all sorts of problems, as one can imagine. People were getting fined left right and centre and after writing a number of letters to Bexley Council in the mid-nineties they agreed to paint some marked bays for people to park in. However, the absence of marked bays at the top of the road and across and to the side of the access to this premise still cause untold problems and means that people still frequently get ticketed, either unwittingly, or because they are forced to take a chance.

We Need Every Inch Of Parking Space: We have stressed to Bexley Council that we need all available parking space and the only response we have had is that, as far as the Council is concerned, it is up to the individual to park their car off road, if they should choose to have one, and it is not the Council's responsibility to find parking space for people and in fact, people are not even entitled to park on the road anyway. Well that's a great help! We even have to put up with the spillover from the Adult Education Centre over the road, which is run by Bexley Council and which in itself, despite having plenty of available ground, does not even have enough parking for the people that use it.

Council Ignore Our Plight: Even though we have complained whole-heartedly to the Council, they ignore our plight, doing nothing, despite our repeated requests. Perhaps because they know they are making money and they are laughing all the way to the bank. Well we are not! As far as we are concerned, all the problems we have incurred are the result of their failure to observe both commonsense and fair play when it comes to the problems and protests of the people that live here. We should not have to pay for, or be made to put up with, the consequences of their poor evaluation and lack of consideration.

No Local Autonomy: We have put a commonsense viewpoint forward and a substantial case on the table. Yet we still have a stalemate; and in Plantation Road, as in many other places, the struggle for democracy, local autonomy, independence, and even commonsense, goes on.

Perverse Exploitation: Although the Council would probably not admit to fining the residents here systematically and deliberately, never-the-less, that is exactly what has been happening! We have been continually and spuriously milked over the years, because, although people naturally try and do the commonsense thing and park on the pavement, the wardens still come round and issue us with penalty notices. Innocent people are still being ticketed by the mean spirited, spiteful, traffic wardens, who come round at all times of day and night (one resident was recently ticketed at 9.20pm on a Sunday evening). They appear to be perversely exploiting our dilemma and making our lives a misery primarily so as to boost their coffers. The Council do nothing to discourage them or to give us what we need. They are screwing us, systematically and deliberately. Bexley Council do not have to enforce the footway parking ban, they have chosen to do so. I wonder why? I would be interested to know exactly how much money Bexley Council make from this perverse exploitation - I bet it's rather a lot (see last paragraph of summation).

The Struggle Goes On: The fact is that the footway parking ban has caused many problems for many people everywhere where local authorities have decided to enforce one. Our society wasn't perfectly constructed and if it had been, no one would need to park on the pavement. However, living in the real world, it is essential, in order for people to go about their business effectively and efficiently, that people have suitable parking. More people have no off road parking than have, and nowadays, with the cost of housing being so high, people are sharing houses and children are staying at home longer. Logistically, people often have to go further to shop, to bank and further to school. Also with the cost of living being so high more couples are both out working. Yes, therefore, there are more cars. We feel that it is about time the people we pay to order our society to our satisfaction, started to do so and stopped taking liberties with us. You can follow the story and some of the discussion we have had with Bexley Council in the selection of listed correspondence.

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