Parking Stickers to Stop Parking Tickets (From Haringey Independent)

Parking Stickers to Stop Parking Tickets

11:26am Wednesday 5th September 2007

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Finally Haringey Council has held its hands up and admitted that the parking restrictions in Crouch End and Muswell Hill are confusing.

It doesn't take an idiot to get it wrong nor does it take a genius to work out it needs changing.

Most people would assume that when stopping in a bay that directs you to use a pay and display ticketing machine, you need to follow the guidelines on it for operation hours.

However unlike anything I have come across, old restrictions which run until 6.30pm govern the area once the new scheme (introduced in June) finishes at 5pm.

Cue plenty of innocent shoppers getting it wrong, parking tickets slapped on windscreens and even vehicles being towed.

Nice.

For a scheme steeped in controversy from the outset (let's not forget that 99 per cent of respondents in Muswell Hill and 90 per cent in Crouch End rejected the plans) this latest issue has hardly helped inject support.

But it seems that finally the council has clocked on to the backlash/ decided to offer a helping hand to confused residents/ is fed up with being criticised for trying to make money, (delete as you see fit) and is doing something about it.

In a few weeks stickers will adorn all the machines in the broadways to explain to everyone that between 9.30am and 5pm they need to pay for a ticket to park in the bay, then after 5pm and between 6.30pm they must move on and can't pay to park, then after 6.30pm they can park and don't need to pay. Phew.

Let's hope it does stop innocent people getting unwittingly ticketed so that at least people can get on with criticising the original scheme (should they so wish) or applauding it, without their efforts being marred by this additional problem.