Dismay over Chichester parking wardens

Sales Manager Martin Young, of Harwoods motors in Terminus Road has said his staff had been hit by countless unnecessary fines for leaving their cars outside their workplace.

The senior motoring executive is now calling for West Sussex County Council to review its policy for street parking.

He said: “Terminus Road is not a residential street, it is not an area to park while shopping, hence avoiding city parking charges and it is not near any schools or hospitals.

“I have worked in this road for the past 10 years and am fed up with the constant mass evacuation that our staff has to endure to move their cars while a parking enforcement officer walks up and down the road haphazardly dishing out ‘gift vouchers’ on anyone who is lucky enough to be working,” said Mr Young who believed there was no reason why spaces could not be available on an unrestricted first-come, first-served basis.

“Over the next two hours productivity is lost as the cat-and- mouse game commences.”

He revealed one incident last year had caused the company considerable frustration as several employees who had parked in the bays were given tickets on remembrance Sunday morning.

Mr Young added that the council should be looking to support businesses in the city rather than penalise them at a time when the economy is extremely fragile.

In response, a spokesperson for West Sussex County Council said: “Terminus Road does not form part of the city’s Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), however, some waiting restrictions have been in place for a number of years.

“These two-hour limited waiting bays are designed to allow a turnover of customers to visit the various industries and businesses in the area.

“If these restrictions were not in place there is a risk that the spaces could be used for all-day long-term parking which could prevent customers from parking there when they need to.

“In the majority of cases elsewhere in Chichester, long-term parking for staff is catered for in the off-street car parks such as Avenue de Chartres.

“We will be reviewing the Chichester CPZ this year and can look at Terminus Road if need be.

“We could consider some long stay parking but with each long stay space that we potentially provided, that is one less space for customers to the businesses in Terminus Road.”