You have been wardened...

AS CAR parking price increases leave Sefton visitors reeling, let me tell you a tale as an outsider trying to do business in Southport. Thursday April 28, 11.20am: I left my car on King Street to deliver posters to Broadhursts on Market Street. I then picked up more from the car and delivered them to the shop in The Atkinson.

The zone is marked for ‘Goods Vehicles’ with Loading painted on the road – different from last time I used it.

I returned to see a ticket on the car (no more than a few minutes later) and went straight to the One Stop Shop in Cambridge Arcade to write and submit an appeal.

When I came back to the car there was a traffic warden about to apply another ticket. I asked him: Did you apply the first ticket? He said no.

I showed him goods in the car boot and said I was delivering. He said my car was not a delivery vehicle. My point is this: many people have small businesses and use a private car to deliver. It fulfills that role when necessary.

I was told to inform Sefton of my vehicle and its reg number, as if that was now a policy – the phrase “national policy” was used.

I asked if the first fine would have come up on his machine when he punched my registration number in. He said no – I would have received another ticket while going to appeal against the first one.

Then I drove round to Waterstones, on the corner of Lord Street and Nevill Street and parked on the latter, to drop in posters.

When I came back to the car, there was a traffic warden about to apply a ticket. I asked him: Did you apply the first ticket? He said no.

I showed him goods in the car boot and said I was delivering. He said my car was not a delivery vehicle. My point was – again ! – many people have small businesses and use a private car to deliver. It fulfils that role when necessary.

I was told to inform Sefton of my vehicle and its reg number, as if that was now a policy.

The rejected appeal against the ticket states: “You left the vehicle for a period of 20 minutes which is not acceptable. I do not find the grounds of your appeal would have prevented you from finding alternative legal parking’’.

I found the nearest parking space to both locations! King Street is yards from the bookshop and over the road from Cambridge Mews and its door through to The Atkinson.

The rejection also states that I was “exchanging books’’. That was not what I wrote in the appeal. I was delivering and picking up “goods’’ including large posters. (On each occasion, including Waterstones, I was away from the car for less than 20 minutes).

A Kafka-esque tale making a mockery of Sefton’s parking policy and very off-putting for anyone who is a small business attempting to trade in Southport.

Graeme Currie, Hubcapmap.com

KEEP DOGS DISTANT

AFTER taking my children and their friend to Ainsdale Beach on bank holiday Monday (May 30) the day was cut short for my little boy’s friend due to inconsiderate dog owners. After parking next to the eight-foot ‘no dogs’ sign the children were constantly met by dogs bouncing over, jumping up, being shouted back by their owners 100 metres away!

Now don’t get me wrong I love dogs, my children like dogs – but not everyone does!

I spent the morning asking people to put their dogs on leads before they passed us, but as the beach staff were letting dogs on, it was impossible.

Jacob’s little friend was petrified and had to be picked up to go home. Jacob was then in tears.

All I’m asking is please don’t let your dogs run up to kids. You don’t know what they’ve been through.

I was attacked as a kid by a family dog. I wouldn’t say I’m scared of dogs, but wary. I’d like to get to know a dog before it starts slobbering on me – and certainly so before they jump up on my children.

All the dogs we met appeared friendly (as did the one that attacked me). Being a dog owner,