Wansteadium reader Lloyd Matthews writes:
Hi,
I thought I would share this cautionary tale to residents of Wanstead.
I briefly stopped in my car on the ‘Bus Stand’ opposite Wanstead Pharmacy for my wife to post a letter (no buses in sight). I received a penalty notice which surprised me; other residents should be aware that there is an enforcement camera in operation.
Note to all: you have been warned.
Driver gets ticket for parking where it’s not allowed shock horror
The car is not stopped ‘On the Bus Stand’ as it is outside of the ‘Yellow Line’ at the dropped kerbstone accessway! If the PCN is in error on the accuracy of the data then this is a ‘Procedural Impropriety’ and is grounds for an appeal costing another £55 for cash for access to the London Tribunal. Good luck with your appeal.
The ‘Google Streetview’ car is the one I was referring to!
Eurrgh. Peter – social media commentary at its worst 😒
Stopping (not parking) briefly for a passenger (not the driver) to hop out and post a letter whilst not causing an obstruction – may not be technically right. But common sense used to prevail before the advent of cameras and councils ability to use them as a revenue generating scheme.
You actually mean social media commentary that you don’t agree with – which is fine and healthy – but your value judgement devalues your point
Wouldn’t it be great if they put one of those cameras outside Tesco Extra in South Woodford (by Derby Road) – where a) All the cars ARE obstructing the road there every single day !!!!! and b) The Car park behind there is free at weekends and evenings and yet people STILL refuse to park there and walk 10 yards!!! I wonder why that has not been done, could it be because it is outside Tesco??????
Christina Cassidy ahhhhhhh
Too late. Already spent £55 on two sausage rolls! 😂
Marie & Leah ðŸ˜Â
Exactly the same…. picking up my mum from the bus stop (engine still running and was there for about 5 seconds)… £60 fine….
Got caught at Gants Hill same thing don’t stop outside tescos cranbrook rd 👿
I got “Done” by that one it is on top of the light stanchion outside the Art Gallery if you look up you will clearly see it.. although it took me getting a penalty ticket to realise this…!!!
Rules are rules.
I see this all the time. A terrible one at the weekend was someone parked diagonally across a disabled spot, who was not (no badge). A lady with her downs syndrome daughter then had to park further away. The lady had a word with the offender and got nothing in return.
If we ‘bent’ the rules every now and then just because we were posting a letter or getting some cash out of the machine then the high street would be bedlam.
The warden was only doing their job. If they let one person off then they have to let everyone.
Rather than grumble on a middle class social media site, why not put your frustration in a letter to the council and explain that you are sorry for not breaking the law that you broke.
You parked illegally on a clearly marked no parking space. What do you expect?
He did not park, he stopped for a few seconds as it was safe to do so. There is clearly a need for a legal definition to differentiate between the two cases. Agressive ticketing of motorists should be avoided by councils, June 2014, according to Eric Pickles when he was the Minister responsible for Local Government. Maybe we should shop elsewhere and then close all the shops in the High Street. That will teach the Council not to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs?
Most people on the high st walk,cycle, or bus it there./ The cars drivers are a minority. And we shouldn’t have to put up with illegal or dangerous parking to have people spend money.
This idea of putting up with selfish drivers else they’ll throw their teddy bear out of the pram is what causes gridlock, pollution and a horrible place to shop.
If drivers can’t obey the very simple laws (funny, I have 2 cars and manage to) then get ticketed. It’s a tax on the selfish.
They should issue tickets to bike users to for when they ride unsafe & jumping red lights & knocking into cars! & hitting pedestrians at lights & crossings!! Bike users can be selfish to & not perfect :/
You are right, bike users are not perfect. But if you don’t like seeing serious injury and death then it’s the cars you need to crack down on as they’re the ones filling the hospitals and morgues on a daily basis.
Get over yourself. He stopped and exited the car. Ergo, he parked. I have no sympathy whatsoever, and if this means you don’t want to spend any time on Wanstead high street as a result then it’s a blessing for those of us that do.
I thought I’d warn Wansteadium readers too!
I went into Boots in Wanstead, and briefly borrowed a few items (no sales assistant in sight).
However, this was caught on CCTV and, very unfairly, it appears that I’m not exempt from the laws of the land.
Other readers please take note and be aware!
Is this even real? Of course you get a ticket for stopping at a bus stand, even if only to post a letter – it’s for buses, not cars!
No idea why anyone would think they’re exempt from the highway code?
Does the bus stop area extension also include an overlap with dropped kerbstone accessways?
Shouldn’t there be signs visible to say you could be fined if park there? Aint it meant to be about prevention?
A warning sign? There’s a huge yellow box with words in it telling people it’s a bus stop. If you park where you shouldn’t or drive how you shouldn’t you are liable to get a fine.
If only there was some sort of test to teach people this before they’re allowed to drive….
If only there was some sort of test drivers had to take to teach them this stuff….
Useful heads up, if the fixed camera sites are being used for parking enforcement.
Not a big fan of the silly LBR camera car either.
Fines is funding……
The greatest blight on our high street is the dominance of cars and the lawbreaking that comes with it. It’s a bus stop. Big yellow box and lots of words in it. It’s for buses. I’m glad someone got a ticket for stopping in it as it makes it harder for pedestrians to cross and hard for buses to stop. I’d like to see greater monitoring of the double yellows and the disabled spaces which are regularly flouted and welcome more wardens to ensure it’s nicer and safer for everyone.
I also wished that buses got tickets for sitting in yellow box at traffic light on romford rd just at end of rabbits rd as lights go green for right turn but you cant turn as buses just stop there knowing there not meant to everyone knows you dont stop in yellow box especially with filter lights!!! They never get ticket??? Should be same rules for all rd users!!
Wansteadium for one thinks Lloyd has made a valuable contribution here. Thank you Lloyd.
I agree. Lloyd isn’t even particularly complaining about the ticket (although he does point out he wasn’t actually obstructing any buses etc), he’s warning us that Redbridge uses cameras here now. Those of us who feel that High Street is too car friendly should be grateful to Lloyd as there will now be fewer people risking parking at that particular spot in future.
Couldn’t agree more! Glad he posted this so I know not to make the same mistake if I’m ever needing to make an emergency stop
The only place in Wanstead I’m ever troubled by illegal parking is the stretch of the High Street between roughly the bus stop in front of the opticians, along to the traffic lights by the station.
In anything approaching moderate traffic, parking either side there causes an obstruction.
Other than that, it is enforcement for the sake of it ( Bus Stops excepting 🙂 )
Why the surprise!!
Anbody who has lived in wanstead for more than 5minutes (me-40 years !)knows parking danger spots are everywhere
Why risk it?
It’s dropping stuff off at the oxfam shops that is a real challenge
Ros D
Whilst I sympathise that the parking restrictions in Wanstead are having a hugely damaging effect on the high street, you have to accept that the law apples to everyone. If you are not happy with it, challenge the restrictions. You cannot unilaterally decide that they do not apply to you.
I agree with Wanstedium and Lloyd.
Many thanks for pointing out that breaking the rules that are obvious for all, results in a fine!
Top work!
Next week can you drop some litter, not clean up your dog mess and report back with findings.
The key word here is “obvious”. The rules might have been obvious, yes, but the enforcement was not. At least people now know about it and won’t think they’ll get away with stopping in a bus stop. Which was Lloyd’s original point.
Just to be clear as it isn’t obvious to some, if you drive how you shouldn’t or park where you shouldn’t you may get a fine.
I wonder if any of you paid any attention in your driving test as this was all covered?