23 January (Part 1) - Indecisive Bexley
It
could be argued that it is a motorist friendly policy but the uncertainty of
leaving parking infringements to CEO discretion leaves drivers guessing and when
dealing in matters of law that is rarely a good idea.
It was
established last March that Bexley Council does not provide its Civil Enforcement
Officers with tape measures so they are told to ignore even the most blatant of 50 centimetre sinners.
@tonyofsidcup established that Bexley doesn’t prosecute obstructions on
private land one might assume because they always provoke an appeal and there is no money to be made from such cases.
The motorcycle rider is now a regular in his/her favoured parking spot.
Yesterday someone was technically in breach of the dropped kerb rules by putting
his front wheel two inches across the flat part of the entrance to my drive and
the body by another six inches. It was not causing a problem.
By chance I bumped into the friendly CEO
while going off duty half a mile away and I showed her the photo. She said she would not issue a ticket because
to do so “would be a bit mean” and I am not going to disagree; but there is no
guidance given apart from don’t be too mean. Is that good enough? I have
seen cars parked in the more traditional kerbside way with no more than six
inches of overhang which have been given a ticket.
Is this something that should be left to individual discretion of CEOs and
wouldn’t a tape measure be a good idea?