Ross resident, Pam Powell, is fighting a parking appeal against Herefordshire Council that began when she parked in Brookend Street in what she believed to be a genuine parking space.

When Aldi constructed their new store in mid 2014, S278 works required the alteration of existing double yellow lines and limited waiting bays on the eastern side of Brookend Street to enable HGVs to access the store for deliveries.

Aldi’s contractors made the alterations to existing road markings without the necessary changes being made to the governing TROs.

Approximately 15 metres of limited waiting parking bay was removed by Aldi’s contractors and replaced with double yellow lines directly opposite the access into the Aldi store to enable HGVs to manoeuvre into the Aldi Store.

By making these alterations the whole length of the waiting and parking restrictions on the eastern side of Brookend Street between Station Road and Millpond Street were unlawful and unenforceable.

Plans to clarify the parking and waiting situation on the eastern side of Brookend Street, between Millpond Street and Station Street, were approved by Herefordshire Council in mid 2018.

However, Pam told the Ross Gazette that the road still clearly shows white markings that indicate parking bays, and the double yellow lines are faint.

Pam appealed the parking charge, and a member of Herefordshire Council’s parking team wrote back to say: “The yellow lines are in force and the lines and signs are correct. It is the driver’s reposnibility to ensure that road signs are checked before leaving your vehicle parked.”

Pam plans to continue her appeal against the Council, but in the meantime she has concerns for other residents who continue to park there.

She told the Ross Gazette: “There are always people parking there who don’t realise they can’t. The Council should make it clearer, if there are no parking bays there they need to paint over the white lines. It is a moneytrap.”

The Ross Gazette contacted Herefordshire Council regarding this parking ticket and the painted lines on the road. At the time of print, the Council had not yet responded to the inquiry.