SCORES of Plymouth Argyle supporters have been caught out by a new traffic order and been slapped with fines for illegal car parking outside Home Park.
Since the Pilgrims' home match with Notts County on February 28, message boards and social media have been used by disgruntled members of the Green Army complaining about their penalty charge notices.
Plymouth City Council has been booking drivers parking illegally at Milehouse Park and Ride outside the football ground following the implementation of a new off-street traffic order.
On Saturday alone, when Argyle hosted Morecambe in League Two, there were 26 penalties handed out to drivers parked where they shouldn't be.
A Plymouth City Council spokesperson said: "The off-street traffic order for the Milehouse Park and Ride car park became effective last month, after public consultation to tackle issues such as Inconsiderate and dangerous parking and the misuse of disabled and electric vehicle charging bays.
"This has been advertised in The Herald and is displayed on a number of large new signs at the entrance points and inside the car park, that highlight the terms and conditions of use.
"In order to make sure people using the car park were fully aware of the new restrictions we also had staff on duty in the car park on Tuesday (February 28) evening informing supporters who were parked outside of the bays of the new restrictions.
"The top half of the car park has been re-lined recently and the bays at the bottom half have been included within the re-lining programme for later this year.
"Where a bay is not clearly marked at the moment, officers would not issue a ticket.
"We have an agreement with Plymouth Argyle Football Club to use the car park on matchday, however they must follow the terms and conditions of use.
"We also manage the two Life Centre car parks (Mayflower A & B), these had an off-street traffic order established in June 2016, this has similar conditions of parking within the confines of a marked bay and the correct use of disabled bays.
"If anyone feels their penalty charge notice has been issued unfairly or in error they can submit an appeal. The process is outlined within the PCN."
This is a flavour of some of the posts being put on the popular messageboard for Argyle fans, Pasoti.
"Another field day for the council. At least 30 cars with tickets outside. For minor parking offences too, which are causing no harm this time of night. Sums up the night," one said.
Another read: "The parking rules are there for a reason. Don't park outside of a bay people won't get a ticket, not rocket science."
Many on the messageboard defended the council and slammed those parking inconsiderately.
"Many a time I've gone to leave and can't get up the side exit road because of one selfish person that's jutting out too far in a space that's not a space, then I end up stuck there for 45 minutes with nowhere to go and I'm not the only one," said one poster.
"I'm glad they're getting tickets. Perhaps it will stop the me, me, me mentality of some people who think they can just do what they like," said another.
One fan wrote: "There have been plenty of warnings about the enforcement of stricter parking rules both in the local press, on this board and of course plenty of notices around the car park."
Some would rather see a free-for-all at Milehouse, with no parking bays at all.
"From an Argyle perspective I reckon the car park was so much better in the old days when there were no bays at all, could get so many more in.
"Fortune certainly favoured the brave on the way out, was one of life's learning experiences."
Taken from Brent Hearld
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Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:36 pm