Our lives are being made hell by angry shoppers parking in our street… despite 500-space strong car park metres away

The Sun

2 days ago

FURIOUS locals say their lives are being made a misery by Costco shoppers clogging up their street — even though there's a huge 500-space car park just metres away.
Residents of Torrington Avenue in Coventry claim they're being sworn at and even threatened by customers using their road to park instead of the store's own car park.
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They've now begged the council for a residents-only parking scheme, saying the situation is unbearable — especially for those with kids or mobility issues.
In a petition to the council, they said: 'Customers regularly use the street to park which at peak times not only means that residents struggle to find space but have recently also been facing verbal abuse and threats from customers.'
They added: 'The current parking situation is especially an issue for those with small children and limited mobility as having to park further away constantly is a challenge.
"Costco has over 500 spaces which is more than ample to meet demand, and there is no reason why customers and staff need to use the street at the expense of residents.'
Locals say the situation gets worse on weekends and during Costco's busiest hours.
Some have even resorted to putting up cones and signs in a desperate attempt to keep spaces outside their homes clear.
One resident, who didn't want to be named, said: 'It's chaos some days.
"You get people blocking driveways and shouting abuse when you ask them to move.
"It's just not right when there's a perfectly good car park sitting almost empty.'
Despite the outcry, Coventry City Council looks set to reject the request.
Officials say parking levels in the area simply don't meet the threshold needed for action.
A similar bid for restrictions was made last year, also covering Torrington Avenue between the A45 and Eastcotes.
That too was knocked back after surveys showed enough spaces were still available.
A council report explained: 'The parking survey conducted in response to that petition showed that the section of Torrington Avenue highlighted did not meet the parking availability criterion set out in the Council's Residents' Parking Policy (less than 40 per cent of spaces available during the daytime).'
A follow-up check on Thursday 3 April 2025 reached the same conclusion — with 54 per cent of spaces free, well above the required threshold.
The report concluded: 'As the recent parking survey shows that the number of parking spaces available during the daytime (54 per cent) still exceeds the criterion for consideration for a residents' parking scheme, the Cabinet Member is recommended to decline the request for a residents' parking scheme on Torrington Avenue between Eastcotes and the A45.'
The final decision rests with Councillor Patricia Hetherton, the cabinet member for city services, who will make the call at a meeting on Tuesday, June 11.
Residents say they fear things will only get worse if action isn't taken soon.
Some have even started discussions about installing private barriers or applying for dropped kerbs to stop people using their space.
Another local added: 'We understand people want to save a bit of time by parking on the road, but it's not fair on us who live here.
"We just want to be able to park near our homes without having to deal with arguments or walk down the street with kids and shopping.'
Despite the council's findings, residents say they'll keep fighting.
They're urging others in the area to speak out and hope that pressure from the community might still sway the decision.
The Sun has reached out to both Costco and Coventry City Council.
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