PARK IT
My neighbours are trying to ban me from parking because I’m an ‘easy target’ – but there’s a bigger problem
"I don’t think it’s going to actually solve anything"
A TAXI driver has found himself locked in a row with his neighbours after they tried to ban him from parking on their street.
Cabbie Les Beaver claims that his fellow residents are targeting him due to the number of cars he has but insists he is not the one causing congestion on the road.
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Les has been running West Devon taxis in Plymouth for over a decade and, according to locals, parks "six or seven" cars on the road outside his office.
This has led to concern from residents that the taxis, combined with multi-vehicle households on the road, have left too little room for everyone's motors.
They have called on the council to introduce a permit parking system, but officials say this must be weighed against the potential impact on local services like schools and shops.
Resident Gerry Anderson told : "It’s been a few years now – it seems to be growing.
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"It’s just that it comes to a point where you come home and they never move – one of the houses has five vehicles on their own.
I don’t want to park here, but I’ve got nowhere else to park.
Les Beaver
"One car is a commuter, who parks up, gets on his bike and goes into town – so we get people who are commuters parking here as well."
However, Les is adamant that his cabs are not the root of the problem.
He said: "Because I’ve got the roofbox which says West Devon Taxis it’s a target straight away – people think that it’s a company parking here.
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"But the thing is that I live here, pay my council tax and my vehicles are all insured and MOT’d – so I am allowed to park here because I live here.
"I don’t want to park here, but I’ve got nowhere else to park.
Parking row two neighbours vehicles fence row
"If I wasn’t parking in that spot, you can guarantee that someone else would be in it."
He also threw his weight behind the permit proposal, but said it might not have the impact some residents hope.
Les pointed to the issue of house of multiple occupancy (HMOs) as a key problem when it comes to parking.
He explained: "I don’t think it’s going to actually solve anything because we’ve got so many HMOs around where we live, and we’ve had so many new residents moving into these HMOs and some of those have got two vehicles as well.
"Some of the residents have got three or four cars, so I don’t think it’s going to solve anything, but I am for permit parking as long as we are allowed to have visitors’ permits, as my daughter sometimes comes to stay."
Everything you need to know about parking
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- Can I use somebody else's parking ticket in a car park?
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- Can I be fined if the ticket machine is not working?
- How close can I park to a junction?
- Am I allowed to park on grass verges?
A spokesperson for Plymouth City Council said: "Our Controlled Parking Zone policy sets out the process for considering permit parking.
"This includes consulting with residents and assessing the current use of parking spaces.
"Some of the core principles centre around difficulties caused by people who don’t live in the area leaving their cars.
"There are situations where a permit scheme is not needed or appropriate, for example where properties have their own garages or driveways or where there is simply limited road space available for the number of residents.
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"Proposals for permit schemes have to consider the impact on access to schools, medical centres, places of work, shops, amenities and leisure facilities."
It comes after drivers were "robbed" by a bizarre glitch at a popular theme park which saw them hit with £100 parking charges.
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