Park it right! Or be shamed on the internet

People who park illegally or inconsiderately in Bradley Stoke could find photos of their vehicles posted in an online ‘hall of shame’ that has been set up by an anonymous group of concerned residents.

The ‘Park It Right Bradley Stoke’ Facebook page, which posted its first photos on 16th July, mimics a similarly named page set up in Lowestoft, Suffolk, that was recently featured in the national press and attracted thousands of ‘likes’ within weeks of its launch.

The website allows users to anonymously post images of poorly parked vehicles, in many cases with the registration number clearly visible, in an attempt to embarrass drivers into being more considerate.

Photos posted on the Bradley Stoke site during its first week of operation show examples of vehicles parked on yellow lines and school zig-zag markings, while others are pictured obstructing pavements and dropped kerbs or hindering visibility on road bends.

Locations where poor parking has been highlighted include Snowberry Close, roads near Wheatfield, St Mary’s and Stoke Lodge schools, Cooks Close, Ormonds Close, the forecourt of the Tesco filling station and the car park of the Three Brooks pub.

When The Journal contacted Park It Right Bradley Stoke to find out more about the site and the people behind it, we were told that they wished to remain anonymous but would be happy to answer our questions…

Who is behind ‘Park It Right Bradley Stoke’?

Park it Right Bradley Stoke is a group of likeminded people who live and work in Bradley Stoke.

We all walk, cycle and drive around our area. Some of us have children.

What types of “offence” are you looking to highlight?

We want to highlight parking where people just haven’t stopped to THINK, where they have chosen the closest ‘spot’ and most convenient for themselves, which is usually blocking the pavement, double-yellows, on a bend , blocking a driveway, or blocking dropped curbs. Not just in Bradley Stoke, but also in surrounding areas.

What do you see as the main consequences of “bad parking”?

We are concerned about wheelchair users, the elderly, infirm, the blind, parents with pushchairs and children having to get on to the road in order to pass a car that has blocked the pavement.

Where are the hotspots for “bad parking” in Bradley Stoke?

Hot spots tend to be around schools during drop off and pick up. Also areas where inadequate numbers of parking spaces have been provided for households, for example flats and areas where lots of houses have been built in a small area – during evenings and weekends.

Editor’s note: Report It Right!

“Naming and shaming” is one approach, but you may have more success by reporting cases of “bad parking” to the appropriate authority. But do you know who that is? Here are the answers I was given when I raised this question at the July meeting of the Bradley Stoke Safer and Stronger Community Group…

Within South Gloucestershire, enforcement of parking restrictions created by a Traffic Regulation Order (such as yellow lines and timed parking bays) is the responsibility of the council. Contact Parking Enforcement at South Gloucestershire Council on 01454 868000.

The police are responsible for dealing with all other forms of highway and pavement obstruction, but can only act if they are contacted by someone who has personally been inconvenienced. The obstruction must also be witnessed in person by a police officer. Contact your local police station on 101.

This article originally appeared in the August 2014 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,450 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.