Television research into parking problems

[TV Researcher]

I am currently researching a story for a BBC television programme about parking problems in Southwark and also Lambeth . If you feel that there is unfair ticketing going on please would you let me know your story. All information is for research purposes only at this stage and will be treated confidentially. Thank you for reading this posting!

[SeanMacGabhann]

Do those of us who share the streets with the cars get a look in on this doco or is just people who don't understand the laws of physics?

(I am being facetious but only slightly - unfair ticketing does go on and deserves airtime. But what will happen is that everyone with a "I have a right to drive and park where I please" axe to grind will show up)

[Mark]

or maybe just people who feel there is unfair ticketing going on will contact TV Researcher. I got a note through my letter box about this yesterday, it's the BBC chasing up the large amount of complaints about unfair ticketing in the area, or something like that.

[Alan Dale]

There is a man who goes by the name of Regeneguru on the SE5 forum.

See link and read his post about Lordship lane CPZ:-

http://www.se5forum.org/forum/index.php/topic,382.0.html

I'll put a link there back to this and he might be able to help you out..

I'm sure he'll rightly point out that unfair ticketing is a minor issue compared to the disproportionate consideration car use is given in town planning.

[Brendan]

I have read the first post on the SE5 forum and it starts out saying ?at least three quarters of local residents do not own cars?

This is a slightly misleading statement as each car may only be owned by 1 person but most cars are used/relied upon by more than just the owner. Mothers drive their children around and many people have 1 car used by all the adults in the family.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I suspect you are right Brendon about the stat quoted.

This topic has been discussed at length on here before, TV Researcher - a couple of links:

Parking Zone 1

Parking Zone 2

So you should get plenty of material for the program

As I've said I think unfair ticketing is prevelant but it's one side of a 2 sided coin - unfair and dodgy parking/driving being the other (coupled with sheer volume of cars)

[Alan Dale]

It is definitely true that unfair car use - blocking shops, parking in bus lanes, etc - has a much more significant detrimental effect on the borough than unfair ticketing.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Again probably true but it looks like the program is focusing on the impact on those ticketed and not the borough's overall wellbeing

[Alan Dale]

I see that but in my opinion they shouldn't be.

It's another example of the BBC dumbing down and running populist / tabloid stories rather than making people think.

[James]

My partner recently parked in Oval (Lambeth), clearly displaying a resident's permit in the window. When he came back to the car he discovered he'd been ticketed. The ticket claimed that he had "failed to display a permit."

We wrote to contest this, enclosing photocopies of the original permit and parking ticket. We received a letter claiming they had photographic evidence that the permit had two dates scratched off. We wrote back to tell them that this is a ridiculous & false claim, especially given the photocopy and the reason actually given on the ticket. But again, we received a standard letter written in a menacing tone, threatening doubling of the fine, court action etc. if we didn't pay it.

Faced with such intimidation, it's easy to understand how an elderly or infirm person in our position would give up and pay the fine. We will not! We are totally disgusted with the ineptitude and bullying tactics - I'm glad you are making this programme & hope our experience might be of use.

[*Bob*]

I'm hoping for an unashamedly populist programme on BBC1: irate taxpayers effin' and blindin', ticketed pensioners (who once fought in a war), hidden cam footage of sneaky parking attendants, local talking heads (Jenny Eclair etc)

Anything requiring extra brain-power on the part of the viewer should go on BBC4 as only 103 people will want to watch it.

[Louisa]

ED isnt as bad as Peckham for tickets, but i'd certainly put my two pence worth in on this one. I am firmly against disabled parking for reasons i've given on other threads, and I also think parking on yellow lines isnt a big deal when your desperate for a parking space on a weekend. Iive received a fair few tickets now, and the parking attendants are always stand offish and rude. I think the only way to solve parking is to provide more spaces! I cannot understand why an underground car park cannot be put in somewhere locally.

[Brendan]

Why the fuck do they still build new housing developments without propper parking?!?!?

[Ladygooner]

or even a multi storey!

[Louisa]

Exactly Brendan, one of the few decent local developments was where the old Ford Dealership used to be opposite Goose Green playground, where they have built in underground parking with those flats.

[jim_the_chin]

Alan Dale Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It's another example of the BBC dumbing down and

> running populist / tabloid stories rather than

> making people think.

Alan Dale Richard Littlejohn

you couldn't make it up, eh?

[SeanMacGabhann]

I would imagine one of the main reasons is that it just isn't sustainable to allow every home-dweller access to full on parking facilities. Or at least if it is possible, then the road infrastructure to support the extra cars would need to be also built. Do we fancy a westway style flyover?

[Alan Dale]

Jim the Chin / Jeremy Clarkson.

Like you, Littlejohn would love a programme about traffic wardens doling out tickets to pensionners for commission.

I would prefer a programme that would advocate a more progressive approach to parking that considers the needs of the community as a whole over the needs of the private motorist.

[*Bob*]

What's with all the boo-hooing about having nowhere to park your car?

Every attempt to increase provision for cars (made over the last 50 years) has simply ended-up in sucking-up more vehicles, of which there seems to be an endlessly increasing supply. So what could the answer be?

Hey.. I've got and idea.. why don't we attempt to increase provision for cars, although it'll probably suck-up more vehicles, of which there seems to be an endlessly increasing supply. But then we could attempt to increase provision for cars, although, er..

[Louisa]

The whole community my backside! Us car drivers pay an awful lot for the luxury of driving, and we often dont have a choice because of the state of the public transport in London! The needs of us drivers are important, if you dont provide places for us to park, then we will shop elsewhere where there is room to park! It affects everyone when we have nowhere to park, So let's find room now!

[Brendan]

Come to think of it I only ever drive to Sainsburys or when I leave East Dulwich so perhaps I should discuss this on another neighbourhood forum. :-S

[mockney piers]

> "don't have a choice"

I've done fine without a car for my 13 years in this fair city.

If I was back out in the sticks it'd be another matter, but don't buy that guff in London.

I'm with *Bob* lets attempt to increase provision for cars in London and while we're at it lets add another 2 lanes to the M25, just for good measure. They won't reach saturation for at least 2 weeks, another 20 billion well spent.

[*Bob*]

I can run you off a reversible 'disabled'/'doctor on call' sticker (on my inkjet printer) if that will help right the injustice, Louisa?

[Alan Dale]

I have a car and I think it's pretty cheap considering the space it takes up and the detrimental impact it has on the

environment.

There are definitely more households in East Dulwich than there are cars though and therefore I think parking considerations should favour pedestrians and public transport.

Furthermore having grown up in the countryside I am delighted with the provision of 24 hour public transport in London.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Sometimes I wonder if drivers think us public transport users get to use it for free. The cost of driving in real terms has decreased over the last couple of decades while the cost of public transport has increased by multiple hundred % (yes I should quote source but at work and can't find just now)

It's not the needs of "us drivers" that is important alone - it's the need of all of us who need to move around