Parking sparks a holy row

Religion is coming under fire from the most unlikely of foes ... the over-zealous parking warden!

As if the Church of England doesn’t have enough on its plate with falling attendances at Sunday services, now, according to Father Marc Lyden-Smith, even those dwindling numbers are under attack.

He tells us today: “I understand that parking wardens have a job to do, but I can’t help but think that Church-goers are easy targets and easy money for them in Sunderland city centre.”

He claims wardens are not only singling out worshippers, but his flock are victims of what he believes is a “council lacking in imagination and vision when it comes to parking in the city centre.” It’s a bold statement. But it’s one that is sure to garner support in the city, not least from church-goers themselves.

There is an argument for reducing or even scrapping parking charges in the city in a bid to encourage more people in. Businesses in particular want life to be made as easy as possible - and as cheap as possible - for people to get into the city centre to spend cash in their shops. They look to places like the MetroCentre which boasts free parking all year round.

The council on the other hand has to perform a balancing act. They want to encourage people into the city, but they have to fund the transport system and infrastructure that gets people there.

Fr Marc is pulling no punches, calling for a simpler, fairer system to be put in place this winter for the good of the city. It’s another challenge for the council.

Council leaders regularly face the wrath of shop owners and shoppers ... now they’re facing the wrath of god (well, god-worshoppers, at least).