Police warn motorists to think about parking
POLICE have stepped into a parking row in Huntingdon, warning motorists they need to park more considerately or face the consequences. Every household in Bevan Close has been sent a letter from Cambridgeshire police urging them to think more about where
POLICE have stepped into a parking row in Huntingdon, warning motorists they need to park more considerately or face the consequences.
Every household in Bevan Close has been sent a letter from Cambridgeshire police urging them to think more about where they park.
The warning after firefighters had to abandon their fire engine and run to a 999 call in Bevan Close after their route was blocked by parked cars.
In a letter to residents, PCSO James Howard said: "It has been reported to our call centre that the fire and rescue team could not get their appliances within 100 metres of the address due to vehicles being parked and causing an obstruction.
"I find this alarming, had the fire been on a larger scale lives could have been lost due to inconsiderate and negligent parking on behalf of Bevan Close residents.
"In most cases residents are limited as to where they can park without causing these types of problems. However, I am aware that there is a resident's cart park within Bevan Close that goes unused.
Most Read
- 1 Historic Huntingdon building on the market for nearly £500k
- 2 'Our inspiration' - Baby born four months early survives fight for life
- 3 Fatal crash blocks A1M in Cambridgeshire
- 4 Garage demolition opponents set up Facebook group
- 5 Huntingdon bookshop gets share of £2m online profits
- 6 Universal credit households to receive £20 for rising living costs
- 7 Old Bailey trial begins of Rikki Neave murder suspect
- 8 He strangled Rikki, stripped him and left his body flat on his back, Old Bailey told
- 9 Four doctors and a nurse off sick with Covid-19 at Fenland surgeries
- 10 Will Young talks about handcuffing himself to the Camp Beagle gates
"Parking outside your home address is not an acceptable excuse to cause an obstruction."
The letter added that vehicles causing "an unnecessary obstruction" could be fined £30.
PCSO Howard said officers would be visiting Bevan Close to monitor the problem.
The Hunts Post understands that a nearby car park is unused as motorists fear their vehicles will be broken into or damaged.
Former Huntingdon councillor and Bevan Close resident, Michelle Turnbull, told The Hunts Post if measures were taken to secure the car park, more residents would use it.
Mrs Turnball said: "I agree that parking in this area is diabolical and something needs to be done. Some residents park inconsiderately but others have no choice because they do not want to risk parking in the car park and getting their vehicle vandalised."
According to the police, there have not been any reported incidents of vandalism in the car park for almost a year.
A spokesman for the Luminus Group, which owns the car park, said they would be working with residents to combat the problem.
"Although parking issues are not uncommon nowadays due to the volume of cars on the roads, this appears to be the first time a problem has been reported in Bevan Close for some time," he said. "We have excellent neighbourhood wardens who work very closely with all our communities and the various agencies operating in different areas and we have every confidence in their vigilance. They will be investigating the issues further and working with both local residents as well as other agencies in order to identify exactly what the concerns are and how local residents can be encouraged to take responsibility for their neighbourhood.
