The Purley Village Blog

Original Message posted 21st Jan 2010 by Victor

POUND-A-SECOND FOR PARKING IN PURLEY

The new parking charges imposed by Croydon Council of up-to-one-hundred pounds penalty and a two-hundred pound removal charge will put further stress on local motorists and increase anger at the parking regime imposed on the town.
I was charged one-hundred-and-ninety pounds after parking on a yellow line in Purley for two minutes, now punative punishment seems to be awaiting users of parking meters.
My story was that I stopped outside a Purley block of flats and walked to the first floor to see if a friend was in. I rang his bell and waited a short while. He was not there. I walked downstairs and found my car was being prepared to be lifted to be taken to the central Croydon car pound.
I protested to no avail and followed the car to the car pound by taxi.
After paying the penalty I asked the girl on the counter how long I had been timed as being on the yellow line. She told me two minutes !!
Am I being cynical in thinking that a degree of entrapment is operating. It appears the parking car-loading lorries are cruising close to towns like Purley. They can then be rapidly called in by telephone for a kill by our friendly (not really) local Traffic Enforcement Officers.

Reply posted 22nd Jan 2010 by Peter Morgan Coulsdon Roads & Traffic Consultant, Member of Coulsdon NP and of ECRA

DON'T JUST PAY UP, challenge them by PATAS APPEAL

If you arrived before the vehicle was actually lifted off the road, you should have been allowed to take your vehicle there and then.
It is also contrary to TMA government guidance to remove a vehicle as quickly as you describe, unless it was actually causing danger or serious obstruction.
Undoubtedly the act of removal would have caused far more danger and obstruction, so the council actions were clearly disproportionate to any harm caused, and therefore unlawful under the HRA.
Having got to the pound and paid up, you should then appeal against the fine and removal.
See TMA 2004 guidance (Traffic Management Act).
http://www.parkingandtrafficappeals.gov.uk/aboutus.htm
HRA - 1998 HRA Art 1 Pr 1, restrictions must be necessary and proportionate, also right to fair trial and not subject disproportionate penalties.

Reply posted 29th Jan 2010 by Purleyite

POUND-A-SECOND FOR PARKING IN PURLEY

Dear Victor,
I haven't got a lot of sympathy no matter how much we are outraged at the cost you had to pay (I agree it was a lot, but it is meant to be a deterrent!). You parked somewhere you shouldn't have! It doesn't matter if you were there for 2 minutes or 2 hours - your car would have been in the way. The purpose of these strict regulations is to avoid making purley's traffic even worse. Often when driving in Purley you lose a LOT of road width by people parking on the roads - this causes a huge amount of congestion with car sizes increasing these days, and you are not helping by parking where you shouldn't.
If your friend had been in, you would have stayed longer either for them to get ready & come out, deliver your message etc, so your basic complaint is that they caught you at the beginning rather than the end of your illegal parking. How about if you phone the friend to arrange where to meet, or use a car park of which there a a couple! Avoid parking on yellow lines mate! Alternatively, avoid Purley till they get themselves sorted out.

Reply posted 30th Jan 2010 by Phil

Parking in Purley

There are of course two sides to this story.
Victor - it is not clear whether you were parked on a single or double yellow line ? If it was a single yellow then you are usually allowed 3 minutes before any penalty, unless the vehicle is deemed to be causing an obstruction, in which case it is an instant fine/removal. If it was a double yellow, then it is an instant fine/removal. Red lines are instant as well. As Peter Morgan says, if it was a single yellow and not causing an obstruction and you were less than 3 minutes, then appeal, unless it was one of the roads listed below.
Purleyite - disabled drivers with a valid disabled permit are entitled to park on single yellows for a limited period so your argument about obstruction doesn't necessarily bear credence.
Croydon Council do publish a list, "parking enforcement policy" on their website and they do refer to a number of streets in the LB of Croydon, which includes Brighton Road up to the Purley Red route, High Street Purley & Whytecliffe Road South as being classed for instant removal.

I would suggest all drivers who park in the LB of Croydon, study this document.

Reply posted 14th Mar 2010 by Purleyite

re: parking in Purley

Phil said "disabled drivers with a valid disabled permit are entitled to park on single yellows for a limited period so your argument about obstruction doesn't necessarily bear credence."

Just because disabled drivers are permitted to stop there, does not mean they are not an obstruction - the lines were put there for a reason. I think all drivers should have the same rules, I don't think it is right that disabled drivers can park somewhere that has been designated a bad place to stop. Disabled drivers take up more space, are generally slower to get in & out of cars, eg hold doors open in the traffic for much longer. So of all road users I think they are the least appropriate to be allowed to park there! It is quite dangerous when a driver takes 3 times as long as you expect, to close their car door. And yes they do take up a lot of space!
There should be more areas to park for normal and disabled drivers. In the meantime, just PARK SOMEWHERE LEGAL and don't complain if you get caught out.