Oct 2010 01

The parking nightmare in Hull12

I'm starting to think about the old-fashioned traffic wardens in a nostalgic way. They were the scourge of every motorist, but – in Hull at least – they generally used some common sense before issuing a parking ticket. HullEastRiding TPA (1)  

Five years ago, Hull City Council took over the responsibility of parking enforcement and awarded a contract to a private company, Vinci Park. I have no idea if their parking wardens are on commission, but judging by their behaviour, they may as well be.

If your car is parked in a space, but a small portion is hanging over a yellow line, you’ll get a ticket. One lady couldn’t get into a parking space, so decided to abandon her attempt and move into a larger space that had just been vacated. The parking warden issued a ticket because she moved out of the space and should not have used another space until an hour had elapsed. One 89 year-old lady received a fine for displaying her disabled badge upside down.

The behaviour of the wardens has prompted businesses in the city centre to organise a campaign against them. Needless to say the TPA is right behind them. In the current economic climate it is hard to earn a living. The last thing you want is customers driven away by petty jobsworths who have nothing better to do than inflict pain on unsuspecting members of the public who are, at best, guilty of minor infringements.

Hull City Council has said it will listen to the concerns and take them into account when its contract with Vinci Park  is up for renewal. This is where all of us can get involved. The cabinet member responsible for parking is Councillor Mike Ross ([email protected]). Write to him and tell him how dissatisfied you are with Vinci Park and how tired you are of being treated like a cash cow. If enough people bombard his inbox, he will be forced to take this into account when the new contract is awarded.

In the meantime, I am in the process of contacting people to see how this campaign can be accelerated and given the prominence it deserves. I will – as ever – keep you informed of the progress made. 

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  • ReefKnot

    One wonders how parking or traffic is improved by the actions of these people and whether the Council has data to justify the continued employment of these or any other parking wardens. Or are they just a revenue generator – which is another form of tax.

  • Andrew Allison

    They are just trying to generate revenue – I’m certain of it. There is so much anger in the city about this issue. Something’s got to give, and it will have to be Vinci Park’s contract.

  • Allan Neril

    Private companies take on parking contracts with a view to profit, not for any other reason. It’s not just Hull. I work in Brighton & Hove and ride a motorbike. I found a motorcycle bay that was empty except for a large Volvo that took up most of it. I managed to squeeze the bike in but when I put it on the stand about 2 inches of handlebar was over the line. The warden told me he would give me a ticket if I didn’t move and when I remarked that I hoped he would be as zealous with the Volvo he told me that was nothing to do with me and to mind my own ‘expletive’ business. No common sense and even less courtesy!

  • Andrew Allison

    You’re correct, Allan. No common sense and no courtesy. This is what we find in Hull.

  • G.Warvill

    Hull City Council are of course well aware of the policy and tactics of Vinci Park but deems to ignore the furore this has caused.The income derived from the results of the dubious practices far outway the anger voiced by the people of Hull.In the end justice will prevail and Vinci Park will be sent packing.

  • Francis Kelly

    By all means get rid of Vinci Park (and all the others like them) – but PLEASE let us not forget who hired them in the first place! It takes two to make a contract, ant this kind of contract shows up just how uncaring, distant from ratepayers and lacking in commercial sense they are. Local democracy is not good enough to keep these excesses in check – but take every chance you can to give youe council the boot!

  • JD

    Let’s have clearly understood sensible laws then zero tolerance.
    Not prosecuting ofenders is discrimination against those of us who respect the law.

  • John

    JD is right – zero tolerance of an infraction is the way to operate any rule system.
    If you let cars off for being a “small portion” over the yellow line, what is that? Six inches? A foot? Two feet?
    If you can’t get your car into a parking bay, you should not be on the road.
    The Taxpayer’s Alliance should concern itself with substantive waste, rather than this kind of Esther Rantzen trivia.

  • AdrianS

    Allan Neril—- the law should be equally applied— so it was your business. ANything like this happens again take the wardens number and complain. They should not be impolite.
    Cheers
    Fellow biker

  • Stanley Jennings

    Don’t just publish the Cllr’s email address. Publish his home postal address and telephone number. Make the b***** suffer.

  • NH Storbeck

    Nothing works better than telling your councillor that he/ she will be out of office at the next local election if he/ she continues to ignore their electorates’ concerns.

  • Terry Hudson

    I always thought you only need to get your wheels off the yellow lines, any overhang was perfectly legal?
    But who cares, the council and the private companies extort money at every opportunity and The Human Rights Act does not apply to drivers, according to our justice system.