Latest news with #parking
The Sun
a day ago
- General
- The Sun
I transformed my council house garden into an extra parking space to help neighbours but people pointed out same issue
A DAD-OF-12 has revealed his freebie garden makeover after converting it into an extra parking space - all to stay on his neighbours' good side. Ben, 50, and Zoe Sullivan, 46, and their bumper brood make up one of Scotland's biggest families. 4 The pair are parents to Elizabeth, 20, Olivia, 18, Noah, 15, Eva, 13, Toby, 12, Agnes, seven, Joseph, six, Flo, three, and two sets of twins, Charlotte and Isabelle, 17, and Leah and Erin, nine. They live in a six-bedroom council house in Burghead, Moray, where they regularly document their hectic lives on their YouTube channel. After buying a Fiat 500 as a "runaround car" for their eldest daughters, the couple were worried they were taking too much on-street parking away from their neighbours They already have two people carriers for ferrying around the whole family on day trips and holidays, and only had room for one car in their driveway. And they feared that having two cars parked on the street could create an issue. Ben said: "Since the girls have now got their car, the issue with parking is raising its head. "We don't want to take the mickey. We don't want to take up too much space outside because obviously it's a cul-de-sac. "There's lots of houses and most homes these days have cars and some two cars and it's just creating a bit of a traffic jam out there. "What we don't want to do is just to overtake an entire road with cars." As a solution, they decided to sacrifice their spare front garden space and converted it into another parking spot instead. I'm fuming after nosy neighbours left note on my car asking my 'plans for parking', despite having a four-car driveway Ben said the decision "improves curb appeal and makes their council home more functional". In a recent video, he documented his one-day transformation of the front garden - and it didn't cost a penny. Alongside sons Noah and Toby, Ben removed the front garden fence, digged out the deep fence posts and filled the holes with mud and stones that were already in the garden. Their job was made easier as the council had already removed half of the fence to accommodate for sewage works. And Ben "got the green light" from officials to remove the rest of the fencing too. Showing off the finished results, the delighted dad said: "That just leaves the little runabout just parked near to our house so it just saves a lot on space. "We're not taking up too much space and we've actually got a place to park." 4 4 4 But after sharing the transformation on social media, people were quick to point out a potential issue. "You need a dropped kerb now putting in which is an expensive job", one person said. Somebody else chimed in: "I guess if the kerb isn't dropped you run the risk of being blocked in if someone parks there?" And a third added: "Some jealous eejit will report for not having a drop kerb and removing the fence/posts." But Ben insisted that: the kerb is "partially dropped already" and added: "It's fine for now." "I put an application in with the council, plus it was the council who removed half the fence for us in the first place ️ "People will always try and trip us up unfortunately there are little bullies everywhere." Social media support Other people, however, were full of praise for the savvy dad's DIY project. One said: "Wow, I bet it will make a huge difference getting the cars on the drive! Much easier for you all... easier to load up... and safer off the road. Great job all." Someone else wrote: "Great job on the driveway, hopefully will make a difference especially now with the girls car. Well done to your helpers too." "Nice you can park on the drive now. So considerate of you as you have three cars", chimed in a third. A fourth agreed: "Front is looking good, much better use of the space in the front, and leaves the street less crowded." "Great job converting it into a driveway!! Looks really good!!" gushed a fifth. And a sixth said: "That's a great idea parking the two bigger cars in the driveway and the wee Fiat on the street it would be lovely if more neighbours were thoughtful like this and considered others." The garden renovation comes after the Sullivans were forced to hit back at trolls who claim they're jobless spongers on benefits - insisting they couldn't be more wrong. Zoe was faced with hateful messages after revealing she spends £400 on the weekly food shop. Opening up about the hate, Zoe said: "There is this assumption that number one, we don't work and number two we bring in mass incomes on benefits and then spend it all on rubbish. "People seem to be so angry at large families, [they] just assume you have children and you suddenly become a sponge on society. "We pay our taxes, we pay our bills, we pay our council tax, we pay our rent, we pay all that stuff." "Obviously getting us by, there's 14 of us, it takes quite a lot of money. But we budget, we make ends meet."
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
AT brings on new camera cars to manage city parking, avoid anarchy
Auckland motorists who park without paying may want to think twice, now the city has a full fleet of parking enforcement vehicles that can catch you out in a split second. The cars, which have advanced plate recognition cameras, digitally "chalk" the wheels of vehicles and assess whether they're parked illegally or not. AT has raked up $3.8 million dollars in fines in the year to April alone. RNZ took a ride with an enforcement officer as they digitally marked cars on the most ticketed street in town. The car was part of AT's fleet of 23 customised vehicles that have been rolled out across the city, to operate alongside regular street parking officers. It was fitted with cameras that could pick up licence plates in mere milliseconds. Auckland Transport officer Natalie, whose surname RNZ has agreed not to use at the risk of her facing abuse, explained how the vehicle worked. "This vehicle goes around taking videos and still images of vehicles parked on the road," she said. "It will generate a hit for the processes to infringe on the vehicle if they're either overstaying maximum authorised time, or, pretty much committing an offence." Natalie said she got a mixed response while driving around town. Some people block their licence plate. Some people would stand in front of it or just put something to block it. You'll get people running to their cars." One of AT's new camera cars on the hunt for illegal parking. Photo: Nick Monro RNZ rode with AT down Princes Street near the University of Auckland, the most ticketed street in the city, racking up 5199 tickets issued between 1 January and 9 April, almost $294,000. Not all of the marked cars would generate tickets. First, video of the offending vehicle goes back to AT headquarters to be checked whether or not an infringement had been committed. During the trip, the car scanned 608 plates on Princes Street alone. Of those, 47, or just under eight percent, were pinged for potential illegal parking. AT's group manager of parking services John Strawbridge said the new cars had made a big difference. "It has enabled our officers to obviously cover more geographic ground but also to do it in a safe manner," he said. He said there were simple ways to avoid getting ticketed. "Make sure you read the signs. Read the signs which might have a time limit on it, two hours or whatever it maybe," Strawbridge said. "Have a contingency in your mind that 'Jeez if I'm going to park for over this time I maybe shouldn't park in that particular spot'." He also encouraged motorists to use the AT app or the parking meter to extend their time if needed. "We don't want to give you tickets, but also we've got a responsibility in terms of equity for other drivers that may be looking for a carpark," he said. "If we didn't manage parking, then it'd be anarchy out there. No one would move and no one would be able to find a park." RNZ spoke with motorists on Princes Street about their experience parking in the city. "I've received multiple tickets," one woman said "Now I just pay $20 to park for about five hours, and move my car for the last two. "I tend to avoid coming to town, so as to not deal with the parking situation," another person said. Chief executive of the Central City Business Association, Viv Beck, said infringements should only be issued for the right reasons. "It is fair to say that enforcement does play an important role in turning over parking, for example, so that time frames are observed and you haven't got someone sitting for long periods and hogging a park, so I think there is a role to play," she said. "Where it's an issue, and where we have a concern is when it's used as a revenue generator, that does not take account of the reasonable needs of the businesses and their customers and or suppliers." Beck said it posed a challenge for businesses when it came to servicing and loading. "We did go through a period where people were being fined for that, and in fact that vehicle will be picking up who are forced with having no other options but to park close to where they need to go," she said. "If people don't have options and they have a job to do, that's pretty difficult for businesses and suppliers trying to operate here, and we do have concern where if planning hasn't provided sufficient serving and loading space, pretty unfair, pretty unreasonable actually to be fining people." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Auckland gets full fleet of parking enforcement vehicles
Auckland Region 4:36 pm today Auckland motorists who park without paying may want to think twice about chancing their arm now the city has full fleet of parking enforcement vehicles that can catch you out in a split second. The cars, which have advanced plate recognition cameras, digitally "chalk" the wheels of vehicles and assess whether they're parked illegally or not. Reporter Finn Blackwell went for a ride with an enforcement officer as they digitally marked cars on the most ticketed street in town.
ABC News
2 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Here's what you should know if parking is a source of tension on your street
Is car parking a source of contention on your street? Maybe it's hard to find a spot, there's a neighbour who parks too close to your driveway, or caravans are being parked for long periods. If you want to tackle your parking problems, here are some things to consider. Parking issues are common across Australia, including in suburban Adelaide and growing regional towns. Louise Crawford is the Mayor of Port Phillip Council in Naarm/Melbourne, where parking can be tricky to come by — depending on the street. "We're incredibly limited in the amount of parking spaces that we have," she says. Katy Woods, a senior lawyer with Legal Aid NSW on Gadigal land in Sydney, says the organisation "regularly get calls about drivers who park outside another person's home or over someone's driveway". Estelle Grech is the policy manager at the Committee for Sydney, an urban policy think tank. In some instances, she says parking shortages are "perceived" because it's assumed changes or development in the area always equates to less parking. She says more housing needs to be planned near public transport so car space availability is less of an issue and people can choose not to have a car. Ms Woods recommends people contact their council if they're "consistently unable to park outside their home". She says most New South Wales councils have online forms to raise parking grievances. If you live in an apartment, Ms Woods suggests raising the issue with your strata manager instead. Ms Greche says expecting a park outside your home is not realistic in every area. "People need to remember that they don't own the street outside their house as well," she says. However, she adds "it makes sense to have a park ideally reserved directly outside your house" if you have mobility issues. Different Australian states and cities have a process to apply for an accessibility parking permit, mobility parking permit or an equivalent. The eligibility requirements and processes differ, but mobility limitation caused by a medical condition, injury or disability are common prerequisites. Additionally, Cr Crawford says Port Philip Council has a process for accessibility parking permit holders to request an accessible on-street parking space outside their home. The process is similar in other areas, and you can check with your local council. Cr Crawford says a "polite conversation" with your neighbour is warranted if their parking is obstructing driveways. While leaving an anonymous note on their windscreen might be tempting, Ms Woods says it's "unlikely to resolve the issue". "Be respectful, and keep in mind that there may be personal circumstances, such as mobility issues or illness, that your neighbours are dealing with." If you can't resolve the issue, a mediation service could be the next step. Mediation facilitators can be found online. Mis Woods says legal action should be a last resort and if you are ever "concerned for your safety, contact the police and seek advice about obtaining an [apprehended violence order]". Cr Crawford says that if driveway access is blocked, council can also tow the offending vehicles, which happens about four to five times a week in her area. Ms Woods also says, if a car is blocking the driveway of causing a hazard you can report it to police. The rules covering street parking differ from council to council and often vary drastically from street to street. In Port Phillip Council, Cr Crawford says the permit system has been tightened. She says at one stage there was a family that had eight residential parking permits. She says parking permits are now usually restricted to one per household for new residents. Permits also help set realistic expectations about parking availability in the area, Cr Crawford says. Cr Crawford says caravans and trailers being parked for long periods is "becoming a greater issue", and council is considering introducing new laws to address it. "In some areas where we don't have any parking restrictions ... people are turning them into private caravan and trailer storage areas." In NSW, Ms Woods says that if a vehicle is "more than 7.5 metres long or weighs more than 4.5 tonnes, it is classified as a heavy and long vehicle", which means there are additional rules for parking. She also recommends checking the relevant council website for information about where you can or can't park a caravan or boat trailer.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Police issue parking ticket to car for causing 'unnecessary obstruction'
CUMBRIA Police have given a vehicle a ticket in Whitehaven. The car was causing an 'unnecessary obstruction' in the town centre. The police say that parking issues are a priority for them in Whitehaven. In a post on social media, Cumbria Police wrote: "While on foot patrol, a vehicle was given a ticket for causing an unnecessary obstruction on New Street, Whitehaven by PC 2857. "There must be enough room for a person with a pram/wheelchair to safely get past. "Parking issues are a priority within Whitehaven Town Centre and will continue to be monitored and dealt with accordingly."
