Confusion reigns over the two-hour free parking introduced in part of Bath Row earlier this year. The restriction was brought in to try to make more spaces available to shoppers and visitors. But no-one knows who is responsible for checking on the cars parked there.
The county council owns the free area in Bath Row – the other end of the road is owned by the district council and has parking charges. The county's highways chief says police officers and traffic wardens can carry out the checks. But Stamford hasn't had a traffic warden since Christmas, 2005.
And a spokesman for Lincolnshire police authority told the Mercury: "I really don't know who is responsible. I suppose it could be police, but then again, it might not be. This is something we should be able to give a simple answer to, but unfortunately we can't.
" Concerns were raised at a meeting of Stamford Town Council on Tuesday, when Derek Johnson, of Warrene Keep, said: "I would like to know just what is going on. How many parking tickets have been issued? If so, by whom and under what authority?
"It is costing me nothing personally, but others may have been paying to park, have parked elsewhere or parked illegally. It's very confusing, and if it isn't being enforced, then what was the point in introducing it?" Town councillor Martin Trollope-Bellew (Con), who is also a county councillor, said the two-hour restrictions could be enforced only by a traffic warden.
But the county council's highways chief Brian Thompson disagreed. He said: "The restrictions could be enforced by traffic wardens or police officers, but there is a county-wide problem with traffic wardens, and when Stamford police did clamp down on parking they were inundated with complaints." "I have to say that though I understand people's frustrations, I personally have found it much easier to park there since the restrictions were introduced.
" Stamford businessman Neil Scholes, who owns Second to None, called for a traffic warden to be appointed for the town. He said: "Obviously people should not park illegally, but if there is no enforcement, then there is no deterrent. The police are overstretched and it should not be solely down to them to enforce traffic issues.
"We had a warden, and the funding was made available, and they should have had a replacement ready and waiting to take over as soon as possible." What do you think? click here to have a say Confusion reigns over the two-hour free parking introduced in part of Bath Row earlier this year.
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