Topic ID 1498
Is it usual for 3 traffic warden plods to be doing the rounds together as was the case in Fore St at 7.30 this evening? I had to move out of the taxi rank sharpish before I had the chance to order my kebab! [;)] The small van outside the Ram was not so lucky however.....
Reply ID 18504
I have just walked home from the town and seen same three (I assume) issue two vehicles with tickets at 8.50 pm. These cars were parked in the bay outside the White Hart, opposite Shire Hall and the act was witnessed also by 5 or 6 blokes who called out to the Parking Attendants to get a life. This is proof positive that they are nothing more than a revenue raising exercise on behalf of the council/self serving t**ts, since I could see no valid reason for the tickets being issued. I wish now I'd stopped to ask why the cars were being ticketed.
Reply ID 18507
At the moment they are contracted to work until 9.00pm and until quite recent would not go out past 6.00pm without a police escort which has since been withdrawn. So now they go out mob handed because of the threat of violence, real or otherwise. Parking in hertford at night has always been a free for all; its never been OK, its just never been enforced - same as with all parking in town. I am not taking sides - they go out in threes for the same reason i could never find enough volunteers to man road closures late at night. Would you want to face up to slightly inebriated joe public even though you are right? Parking restrictions continue up to 9.00pm so they are contracted and have to work up to 9.00pm. Would you want to be a PA and issue valid tickets at 11.00pm? If the consolidation orders are published to include other traffic offences this could come about and with the best will in the world I would not want to do the job either.
Reply ID 18508
quote:I don't think it's a parking bay - it's loading/unloading only.
Originally posted by 2929paul
I could see no valid reason for the tickets being issued. I wish now I'd stopped to ask why the cars were being ticketed.
Reply ID 18509
quote:If it's not marked up as a loading bay then it isn't a loading bay. The rules work both ways.
Originally posted by Stevequote:I don't think it's a parking bay - it's loading/unloading only.
Originally posted by 2929paul
I could see no valid reason for the tickets being issued. I wish now I'd stopped to ask why the cars were being ticketed.
Reply ID 18510
If this is the bay outside Kids Connection then it has always caused confusion. Its like the stationery school bus in an old episode of The Invisible Man - designed to catch motorists who overtake it. The yellow lines are not clear and neither is the sign. There are black holes like this all over town, not deliberatly designed to catch out the unwary notorist but it would be nice if someone surveyed the town and made the signage and restrictions a bit clearer and less ambiguous.
Reply ID 18511
quote:As I recall, the sign outside the shop says "Loading only", or similar. I'll check later.
Originally posted by JohnSmith
If it's not marked up as a loading bay then it isn't a loading bay. The rules work both ways.
Reply ID 18513
Ambiguous... http://www.hertford.net/images/restricted_parking.jpg I've emailed the District Council to query this as it states on their website... Road markings such as yellow lines, loading bays, bus stops and residents-only parking zones indicate that some sort of restriction applies. Double yellow lines mean no parking at any time but other markings, such as single yellow lines, will always have a sign nearby to explain what the restriction is. If in doubt, check the sign. I'll report back when I get a reply.
Reply ID 18517
The traffic wardens don't do themselves any favours by apparently victimising people in the EHDC car parks while not policing all of the problems caused by illegal/stupid and lazy parking. A car parked for 1 hour and 1 minute in Bircherley Green Car Park causes very little nuisance to anybody yet if it has only got a ticket valid for 1 hour then it is very likely to get a ticket. The lazy people that park on the double yellow lines at the end of Tudor Way near the Sele Farm shops cause lots of problems yet they never seem to get a ticket.
Reply ID 18522
How can two cars parked in a loading bay at 8.50pm be causing a problem? Who is going to load/unload anything at that time. I still don't blame them for parking there because it's totally unfair the way the bay is marked.
Reply ID 18538
This is the response I got from EHDC... As general rule, the information provided by the Parking section of East Herts website is correct. The area surrounding Shire Hall including Salisbury Square, Hertford, is an exception where authorisation was given by the Secretary of State for Transport to erect entry signs and additional repeater signs in this area without the need for lines. At all entry points you will find signs warning motorists that they are entering a Restricted Zone – “At any time”. I am sorry you feel the website is misleading; however the signs in themselves are sufficient to allow enforcement to take place. A later email explained... The sign displayed in your attached image (displayed throughout the area near Shire Hall and at all entry points) clearly shows the no parking symbol and sign text describing the period in which the restriction applies: At any time. Waiting or parking is not allowed during this time and enforcement by Parking Attendants is permitted if vehicles are found in contravention. The Dept for Transport removed the requirement from East Herts District Council to display road markings in this defined area. I do not believe the signs are unclear in describing the waiting restriction. I fully agree with you that signs need to clearly display parking restrictions and adequately inform motorists.
Reply ID 18611
quote:It sounds like the guys heckling from the pub need to get a life, as they are the ones in the wrong. How exactly is it positive proof of revenue raising when they are simply upholding the parking regulations?
Originally posted by 2929paul
I have just walked home from the town and seen same three (I assume) issue two vehicles with tickets at 8.50 pm. These cars were parked in the bay outside the White Hart, opposite Shire Hall and the act was witnessed also by 5 or 6 blokes who called out to the Parking Attendants to get a life. This is proof positive that they are nothing more than a revenue raising exercise on behalf of the council/self serving t**ts, since I could see no valid reason for the tickets being issued. I wish now I'd stopped to ask why the cars were being ticketed.
Reply ID 18620
quote:If you can't wait or park, what is the purpose of the bay. If for loading, surely you have to wait? And maybe, whilst on the subject of the Shire Hall area, would it be possible for the police vehicle drivers to be told what the sign means when it states 'except buses' and even 'no entry'. Are they exempt from sticking to the law - i've seen many a police car driving the wrong way into that area (and the secure prisoner carriers used for court appearances).
Originally posted by Steve [i].. clearly shows the no parking symbol and sign text describing the period in which the restriction applies: At any time. Waiting or parking is not allowed during this time and enforcement by Parking Attendants is permitted if vehicles are found in contravention. i]
Reply ID 18621
quote:And I've seen many a private car do the same in broad daylight, even to the extent of queuing behind buses. Would one-way only metal spikes in the road deter them, d'you think?
Originally posted by alison And maybe, whilst on the subject of the Shire Hall area, would it be possible for the police vehicle drivers to be told what the sign means when it states 'except buses' and even 'no entry'. Are they exempt from sticking to the law - i've seen many a police car driving the wrong way into that area (and the secure prisoner carriers used for court appearances).
Reply ID 18674
We were driving down the correct way and some blind idiot was trying to go the wrong way. Incidentally when did they change the sign back from "No Entry Except Busses" to "No Motor Vehicles Except Busses"?
Reply ID 18677
quote:Can't be exact but about a month ago. Part of the plan to widen the entrance at this point by HSBC and moving the CCTV column back on to the pavement. This will wipe out the UK's shortest cycle path but allow cyclists to ride through Fore Street against the normal flow of traffic. Hence the 'no motor vehicles'.
Incidentally when did they change the sign back from "No Entry Except Busses" to "No Motor Vehicles Except Busses"?
Reply ID 18689
The trouble is some of the less intelligent motor vehicle drivers (who seem to be a growing proportion of motorists) do not understand traffic signs and ignore "no vehicles" and "no motor vehicles" signs presumably because they don't know what they mean. Look at all the taxi drivers that park in Green Street ignoring the no vehicles sign. If the Taxi drivers can't even understand road signs then they shouldn't be trusted to drive members of the public around.
Reply ID 18693
quote:[:D][:D] Again from the last Hertford Transport Forum in relation to the Taxi Marshalling Scheme: 'JB requested that Hertfordshire Highways consider allowing taxis to travel westbound on Fore Street past Shire Hall. KH stated that all the taxis would need to have the same livery otherwise this would be open to abuse by other cars.'
If the Taxi drivers can't even understand road signs then they shouldn't be trusted to drive members of the public around.
Reply ID 18699
quote:This is rubbish. All taxis are clearly marked as taxis regardless of "livery". They all have plates that clearly show they are registered with the local authority and their registration details. This is just a weak excuse.
KH stated that all the taxis would need to have the same livery otherwise this would be open to abuse by other cars.'
Reply ID 18711
quote:So can we look forward to pony and traps and bicycle rickshaws doing likewise [:)]
Originally posted by sloopjohnbquote:Can't be exact but about a month ago. Part of the plan to widen the entrance at this point by HSBC and moving the CCTV column back on to the pavement. This will wipe out the UK's shortest cycle path but allow cyclists to ride through Fore Street against the normal flow of traffic. Hence the 'no motor vehicles'.
Incidentally when did they change the sign back from "No Entry Except Busses" to "No Motor Vehicles Except Busses"?
Reply ID 18713
When I was at school it was no-motor vehicles then they spent lots of money redeveloping the junction and adding the very short cycle lane. From What Mr Sloop is saying they are going to waste more money by putting it back the way it was. Incedentally there were less ****wits driving the wrong way after they changed the signs to no entry than before! [:(!]
