Many Ross-on-Wye residents were disappointed to see that civil enforcement officers (CEOs) continue to issue parking tickets to one of the market traders.

Keith, who runs the fruit and veg stall parks his van in the loading bay next to the Market House on Thursdays, and loads and unloads his van constantly throughout the day to keep his stall topped up with fresh produce.

However, Keith is frequently issued with parking fines, but he works alone at the Market, so he says he cannot feasibly unload all of his produce at the start of the day, and leave all of his stock in the square, while finding a parking space for his van.

Keith told the Gazette that he also does market days at Monmouth and Ledbury, and there seems to be an exception made for traders there and he does not receive parking tickets in those towns.

On Thursday, after Keith was issued with yet another parking ticket, many Ross residents came into the Ross Gazette office to say how frustrated they were that parking tickets were being issued so often to him. One resident told the Gazette:?“On Thursdays, they (the CEOs) should stay clear of the Markets.”

Ross Town Council have the control of the Markets in Ross, but the civil enforcement officers are under Herefordshire Council. As a result, the Town Council cannot directly prevent the parking tickets from being issued.

Town Councillor, Chris Bartrum, who was at the Market told the Gazette that the best course of action would be to lobby Herefordshire Council, asking them to grant priority to the Market Traders when markets are being held.

The Gazette asked Herefordshire Council what would be needed to change the ‘loading bay’ by the Market House to a short term parking bay or possibly to allow its use by market traders at set times on Thursday and Saturdays. A spokesperson for the Council said:?“The loading bay where market traders unload their goods for the Thursday and Saturday Ross Market is subject to a legal Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) where a stay of up to 15 minutes is allowed for any vehicle provided that loading or unloading is actively taking place. Therefore once the loading activity has been completed any vehicle, including market traders, should move their vehicle so that they do not prevent any other vehicle from using the loading bay.

“If there is a desire from the Ross Town Council to allow market traders to use the loading bay for parking, they could take forward a proposal to the traffic team at Balfour Beatty requesting a change in the traffic regulation order for that bay.”