Why I don't blame cheeky Peterborough council staff parkers

I hate paying for parking. I'd rather drive round for hours using up fuel costing far more than the parking fee I'm trying to avoid!
Thornton on Thursday column with Peterborough Telegraph's deputy editor Nigel Thornton - peterboroughtoday.co.ukThornton on Thursday column with Peterborough Telegraph's deputy editor Nigel Thornton - peterboroughtoday.co.uk
Thornton on Thursday column with Peterborough Telegraph's deputy editor Nigel Thornton - peterboroughtoday.co.uk

And even if me and my car end up far away from my final destination as long as I avoid having to pay I’m left with a warm glow inside.

Parking does funny things to us all.

These days it’s getting increasingly hard to park anywhere for free – even dear old Ferry Meadows is charging these days.

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And no matter how diligently you pay your taxes, if you want to visit a seriously ill patient in an NHS hospital you will have to pay to park your car (unless you’re in Scotland of course).

So I can’t criticise those Peterborough City Council workers who are parking (for free) on residential streets near the council’s new offices in Fletton Quays.

Of course, I understand the irritation of residents in Hawksbill Way – and there is absolutely no excuse for people who block others in – but most things are fair in love and parking.

Some people seem to think they own the road outside their home. They don’t.

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Drivers (council staff?) are even parking on double yellow lines knowing they can do so without fear of a ticket. That’s because a stretch of the road has not been adopted making a parking ban unenforceable.

That smacks of somebody using insider knowledge and that’s a bit naughty.

But if parking fees are eating up a sizeable amount of your disposable income why wouldn’t you?

It might help if parking fees were more reasonable, but unfortunately it’s another cash cow for land owners.

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And the vultures in businesses and public authorities circle ready to pounce with disproportionate fines for anybody who overstays their welcome by a minute or two.

A few years back a public outcry rid of us of the misery of the cowboy clampers.

Perhaps it’s time for another outcry against supermarkets and other businesses who sub-contract parking to third parties who then issue fines to customers who outstay the ‘small print’ time limits.

Perhaps it’s time to make greedy developers provide adequate parking provision at residential and office developements.

In the meantime, I’ll drive round looking for that free space. Sorry,if it’s outside your house.