AN ANGRY internet campaigner is waging war on Stockport's illegal parkers and names Portwood as the borough's hotspot for the driving form of "anti-social behaviour".
Webmaster Navi Llaw, who says he has monitored the area for a year, claims Mersey Street and Borron Street are a haven for cars left on pavements and yellow lines without fear of punishment from police or parking wardens.
Having emailed police and all 63 Stockport councillors demanding action, the campaigner has set up a website - www.tinyurl.co.uk/cfou - urging all Stockport residents to do the same.
Navi, 54, from Portwood, states: "Stand up and be counted, be a bug-bear and complainer. Badger the people who are ultimately responsible for the safety of all Stopfordians and visitors.
"The police and council are very much aware of this vehicle anti-social behaviour. Mersey and Borron Streets are a veritable smorgasbord of illegal parking.
"Just cruise along and take in the sights of this little known gem of the illegal parking world, where wardens and police fear to tread."
Navi created his website through the free My Manchester Online service on the Stockport Express website after becoming sick of the situation.
Sometimes 30 or more vehicles at a time are illegally left on Mersey Street. It creates access problems, particularly for the disabled, and damages the pavement.
Other problem roads include Tamworth Street, West Park Lane, Osbourne Street and Carrington Road - all in Portwood.
The location provides handy access for Stockport town centre and the Peel Centre, where parking is often at a premium.
Dealing with cars on yellow lines is the council's responsibility, while parking on the pavement is punishable by the police, if an obstruction is caused.
A council spokesman said: "We are aware of Mr Llaw's grievances regarding parking around Portwood and have been in communication with him.
"It would be unreasonable to blanket enforce footway parking throughout the borough as in a lot of instances it is the only sensible interpretation.
"Where there is clear obstruction, danger to the public or damage to footways, and, where we have the powers, we will take action."
Sergeant Gareth Firth said: "It is illegal for cars to drive on the pavement or to park in a way that causes an obstruction. We rely on information from the community to keep us informed of their concerns, and where appropriate we will act.
"In my role as sergeant in the Central Neighbourhood Policing Team which covers the area around Mersey Street and Borron Street, I will monitor the situation and liaise with the council to take appropriate action."
Showing comments 1 to 6 and replies | View All
Jim Kay, Edgeley (22/04/2006 at 21:51)
You sould be aware that during the rnovation work the council is not enforcing the parking restrictions as this would prevent the work being done and would penalise residents who cannot park in their normal places. This has been agreed with Traffic and Car Parking and the local residents association have been consulted. We are aware of this and the Council will monitor the situation until the renovation work has been completed and the the parking enforcement will continue as before. One of the regular offending vehicles is actually a council van
In the meantime please do not make complaints as this wastes the time of council staff who issue tickets which then have to be cancelled. I am sure you are awrae of the benefits to all residents that the renovation work will bring to the area and would not wish to slow the work down in any way.
CLLR ROY DRIVER
Ferrari, Stockport (26/04/2006 at 10:15)
DL, Stockport (26/04/2006 at 11:16)
bobby baby, sunnyside drive (30/04/2006 at 20:38)
you go to any of the big suoermarkets ,morrisons,tesco(the worst ) and handforth dean and you will see this all the time.God do people have no respect/sympathy for designated parking spaces.I wish the big stores would have a purge on these ignorant morons with either a fine or a humiliating ticket on their bmw's and range rovers ,I would laugh out loud.
Retep Nitram, Richard St/Mersey St, Portwood (03/05/2006 at 17:47)
Liz, South Reddish (23/04/2007 at 18:46)
It's to such an extent the path is beginning to give in the middle and all drains are blocked.
"Cleaner, Greener, Safer Stronger", hmmm?!!!