Sweep by council wardens has 'left a sour taste for many' says priest :: Council says anyone feeling 'unfairly penalised' should appeal
Churchgoers and tourists believe they were targeted by council traffic wardens in a parking ticket blitz over the Easter bank holiday weekend.
On Easter Sunday, eight motorists were ticketed while parked on double yellow lines outside St Andrew’s Catholic Church on Fabian Road, in Teesville.
And over the Easter weekend, 32 motorists were handed fines after they struggled to find a space in the car park at Guisborough Forest Walkway.
But Redcar and Cleveland Council say that they were not targeting any particular areas over the Easter break, in which they handed out 70 penalty charge notices across the borough.
Gallery: Father Eddie Gubbins
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The Very Reverend Edmond Gubbins, priest at St Andrew’s, believes the yellow lines on the road near his church are unnecessary since Redcar and Cleveland’s town hall and the James Finegan Hall were demolished last year.
Father Gubbins, who is to write to the council about the situation, said: “Some members of our church have been parking a little closer to the church entrance to allow disabled or elderly people to get in easily.
“The yellow lines used to be necessary, but since the town hall and James Finegan Hall, which were opposite the church, have been demolished and the site has been left empty they are now unnecessary.
"Our members have been parking there for the past year, and they’ve never had any problems.
"It was an unkind thing to do on Easter Sunday. It has left a sour taste for many.”
Motorists at Guisborough Forest Walkway faced similar problems over the weekend.
Keith Cummings, 70, had driven to Guisborough from his home in Redcar with his grandchildren and was issued with a £50 ticket after he parked outside a bay on Bank Holiday Monday.
He said: “There were no other spaces. When it is so busy, what else can people do?
“I wasn’t in a bay, but I was parked completely safely and I was not blocking anyone’s access. I had also paid and displayed.
“It feels like they’ve targeted that spot on the busiest day possible to hit their quota, when the council could have had some understanding on one of the busiest days for tourism.”
Steven Goldswain, Redcar and Cleveland Council’s cabinet member for community safety, said: “Restrictions on Fabian Road, where there have been a number of accidents, were implemented because of high traffic flow and road safety concerns.
“The vast majority of motorists observe these restrictions and the conditions of use in our car parks, which includes only parking within a marked bay.
“However, anyone who feels they have been unfairly penalised should follow the appeals process which is set out on the reverse of the penalty charge notice.”
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