Woman feels ‘persecuted’ by double yellows repainted on cobblestones outside home
A woman says she feels ‘persecuted’ after a council repainted double yellow lines outside her home.
Amanda Massey, 54 from Stockport, Greater Manchester, says the cobblestones on her road of Store Street, being ‘hundreds of years old’, would be ‘polished up to an inch of their lives’ if they were found in a historic town like Chester or York.
Instead, she says, the local council has chosen to renew the street’s long-faded double yellow lines, prohibiting her and other residents on her street from parking near their homes.
Amanda adds that they are now simply ‘adding to emissions’ in having to drive round the local neighbourhood looking for parking spots each day.
She said: ‘A couple of weeks ago a letter came through and said we are painting lines on the road in the morning. I was given no notice.
‘We feel persecuted.’
She added: ‘I get it’s not an automatic right to park outside your own house.
‘But emergency vehicles can [still] get down the street with cars parked on both sides of the road.’
Amanda explained that the lines were first introduced 20 years ago on Store Street outside a nearby social club.
Since then, they’d apparently faded significantly, with local residents even winning appeals against parking violations given how faint the lines were.
After the lines were renewed, Amanda says that the council have sent along wardens to monitor the street two, even three times a day.
Stockport Council stressed the restrictions were introduced for safety purposes.
An investigation into the decision to repaint the lines on the road is nevertheless underway.
A council spokesperson said in a statement shared with Metro that Amanda’s street ‘is a residential road, which is home to a social club and nursery located at the end of the cul-de-sac.
‘To ensure those who attend the social club and nursery are safe when visiting, parking restrictions, which includes resident permit parking, have been in place for several years.
‘In December, a petition was received by the area committee and local councillors have asked the council’s traffic service team to investigate if these road markings on Store Street are still fit for purpose or require altering. This investigation is ongoing.’
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