Upset over remembrance parking ticket

A VISITOR to Sidmouth was upset to receive a parking ticket on Remembrance Sunday.

Geoff Moorhouse, from Northampton, was visiting his elderly mother-in-law Doreen Cooper with his wife Sarah for the weekend, as it was Doreen’s birthday.

Having dropped Doreen at the 11am remembrance service at the parish church, he parked in Manor Road. There was a single yellow line and many other cars parked. On returning to the car after the service, he was shocked to see that he and the other cars parked there had received tickets. While he accepts the area has a 10am to 6pm seven-days-a-week no waiting restriction, he felt “common sense” could have been used on this occasion.

“I understand the need for such restrictions in the summer when parking is at a premium, but to impose it on a Sunday in November seems mean-minded.”

A district council spokesman said two officers were on patrol in Sidmouth, Beer and Seaton on Sunday. Employed by EDDC, they enforce county council on-street parking regulations designed to ensure that affected roads, including Manor Road, which is used by coaches parking in the Manor Road Car Park, are not obstructed.

“Nine parking enforcement notices were issued in Manor Road on Sunday. Four of these have been paid, two have been challenged and we have not yet heard from the other three,” he said.

Anyone who wishes to appeal against a parking ticket can contact EDDC’s parking services unit.