20 February (Part 1) - Smash and Grabby Wood
Those
of us who know Abbey Road, Belvedere well never expected Bexley council’s £1.90
an hour parking machines to survive the Friday and Saturday night revellers for
long, and it would appear our predictions were correct.
Another has been out of order for a week and yesterday I spoke to the three men
who were taking it apart. “Second one in a fortnight” they said pointing
at its neighbour across the road. I didn’t see the need to take an intrusive
photograph, the man in the yellow jacket and the contractor’s van should be enough to prove
the point. The machine was still covered early this morning.
The man on the spot agreed that the four machines in Abbey Road do not take
enough money to justify their existence or breaking them open. From memory I
think I heard in a council meeting they cost around £3,500 each and more for
installation, maintenance and cash collection. So how much has Bexley council’s
avarice cost the taxpayer?
Note: This machine was restored to use during the afternoon of 24th February.