Parking purge planned

Police and traffic wardens are to launch a purge on people who park inconsiderately in Southwell after receiving a file of photographs of the worst offenders.

Residents unable to use the town’s pavements have taken photographs to the town’s police station.

It has prompted police to schedule an operation targeting those who flout the law and park inconsiderately.

Sergeant Brendon Hunt, of Southwell Police, said: “We have a problem with inconsiderate parking in Southwell —people parking on double yellow lines and causing obstructions.

“It is making it very difficult for people with prams, pushchairs and wheelchairs to pass and they are often being driven into the road.

“The time has come for us and the traffic wardens to be out on the streets making some examples of the worst offenders and reminding them of the legalities.”

The town council’s vice-chairman, Mrs Mollie Toy, welcomed the operation.

She said: “It is a problem. We have got a lot of elderly people in Southwell and a lot of them use mobility scooters and walking sticks and they find it difficult to get around.

“Mothers with pushchairs also find it quite difficult.”

Mrs Toy said sometimes people had to use the road to get around obstructions on the pavement.

She said: “It can be quite dangerous because people tend to speed a bit fast through Southwell.”

Mrs Toy conducted a survey last year that revealed there was a problem with people obstructing pavements.

She said: “I know Southwell pavements are difficult because a lot of them are very narrow as it is an old town but sometimes there is a lack of thought and a lack of consideration from people parking.

“Part of the problem is caused because a lot of houses in the centre don’t have their own garages and there is nowhere else to park.”

Mrs Toy was pleased residents were being proactive in raising the issue of parking with the police.