Parking warning after firefighters struggle to drive engine down Huntingdon roads

Drivers are being warned to take care when parking in the street after a fire engine was delayed by parked cars in Huntingdon.

Firefighters were held up in Avenue Road on Saturday (October 18), where vehicles parked on either side of the road made it almost impossible to get through.

It took about five minutes to manoeuvre the engine past the cars without damaging them.

The firefighters were not on a 999 call but they reminded people, particularly those parking in the street to avoid paying a fee in town centre car parks, that their careless parking could have delayed them getting to an emergency.

Watch commander Eddie Theaker, from blue watch at Huntingdon Fire Station, said: “Inconsiderate parking, leading to problems with access for our fire engines, can be a problem in a number of roads in Huntingdon.

“Our crews have historically found getting along Avenue Road and other streets in the area, like Cowper Road, a tight squeeze owing to the large number of cars parked on both sides of the road and sometimes also parked on double yellow lines.

“This can make it extremely hard and sometimes impossible for emergency vehicles to get through, which could cause a delay in a fire engine getting to an emergency incident.

“It is imperative that when drivers park their cars they leave enough room for a fire engine to pass – just remember, we could be trying to get to your home or to rescue you or your family in another emergency.”