‘Thoughtless’ parking leads to bus misery

BUS drivers have been forced to divert services after “thoughtless” drivers blocked key routes with poor parking. Bosses are now pleading with drivers to think before they leave their vehicles.

Tom Stables, managing director of National Express West Midlands, said: “Our buses take nearly a million people to work, to school, to college and to the shops every working day.

“Inconsiderate parking holds up buses and can lead to us having to divert them off their proper route. One person thoughtlessly leaving their car where it obstructs the highway can delay 100 people on one double decker, not to mention our customers waiting at bus stops. It’s very unfair.”

Officers from West Midlands Police’s Road Harm Reduction have prosecuted 117 drivers since their Park Safe operation was launched last month.

PC Mark Hodson said: “we often see cars pretty much dumped at junctions that obstruct other drivers’ views and increase the chances of collisions occurring. This kind of behaviour can have fatal consequences.”