Double yellow lines row in Cliftonville causing ‘fighting in the street’

Jane Manners and fellow Haven residents want the yellow lines reinstated

Residents at flats in Cliftonville are demanding the reinstatement of yellow lines outside their car park entrance amid claims of ‘frequent fighting in the street’ over blocked access.

The road restriction had stopped people parking outside the Haven car park but pleas to repaint the lines have been rejected after Thanet council said the lines have never been officially approved.

Athelstan Road Tenants and Residents Association says it first requested a repainting of the lines in February and had been told Thanet council would repaint until it came to light that there was no record of the 3m stretch being ‘adopted.’

As the lines have gradually worn away ARTRA say there are daily scenes of disturbance due to residents’ vehicles being trapped in the car park when others park over the entrance.

A spokesperson said: “This results in violent scenes, including verbal aggression and apparently physical violence between Haven residents and those who park across the entranceway, trapping dozens of tenants and residents vehicles inside the car park – which has recently had its ‘Keep Clear’ car park in use 24 hours, signage.

“Most recently, a police officer managed to track down the owner of a car parked across the car park entranceway to their home and found the driver drunk, so the driver gave the police officer the car keys, enabling numerous Haven residents to drive to work!

Scenes like this are a daily occurrence.”

Jane Manners has been living in the Haven for 34 years – since 1986 – and says there always having been double yellow lines outside the entrance to the Haven Car Park – the full width of all 5 houses that make up the Haven block.

But these have not been renewed over the years and only scraps of the double yellow lines are still visible.

The ARTRA spokesperson said: “Thanet council had apparently acknowledged the error and were just about to reinstate the existing double yellow lines when an officer was unable to find the formal paperwork that classified this very long-standing 3m stretch of double yellow lines as ‘adopted’ – the legal definition required.

“Whether this is a clerical error on TDC’s part – a lost file – or whether TDC originally painted the car park entranceway in error, approximately 40 years ago, is not known, so Cllr Alan Currie is in the process of establishing the situation from the Haven management company with a view to applying for the formal paperwork to be created, establishing the entranceway as adopted, so TDC’s planned reinstatement of these double yellow lines can be undertaken.”

Thanet council says the yellow lines aren’t official and are not part of any traffic regulation order.

Advice has been given to consider applying for a dog-bone installation -white line with two short ends – to deter inconsiderate or obstructive parking.

ARTRA, with support from Cllr Currie and county councillor Barry Lewis, says it hopes to be given a timescale for the car park entrance way being formally adopted by the council and “an end to frequent fighting in the street and tenants’ dependence on police to access the public highway.”

16 Comments

    • Problem is that it may only be 3 metres, but the lines won’t be enforceable in law until they fix the status of the road.

  1. Just as daft as removing the lines on the bend of the hospital road ( apparently because they weren’t meant to be there) and now they’re back. Pointless beaurocracy that just wastes resources for no good reason.

  2. TDC at is most efficient again! Who cares if it has been ‘adopted’ or not? It should be common sense to stop residents being blocked in, an offence in itself I always thought.
    Didn’t take long to stop parking in Westgate and Broadstairs recently with no notification, did it? Not quite the same thing I know, it just shows how those in Cecil Towers cannot use their brains without it being written down from on high.
    Pah!

  3. Utter nonsense. TDC can paint yellow lines wherever it likes. The only difference is whether a “parking ticket” is enforceable without a Parking Order.

    Most people will respect yellow lines most of the time so just paint them back and sort out the paperwork next month !

    Simples eh ! ?

    • No, they can’t just paint lines wherever they like.
      If the road is not “adopted”, then it’s not part of the public realm, and belongs to someone else.
      The council is no more able to paint lines there than on your driveway.

  4. If the lines were not legal does that mean that the drivers who got tickets over the last 40yrs will have their fines reimbursed?

    • Drivers only get tickets if they park illegally. Surely you’re not implying that some motorists break the law?

  5. Yellow lines… People park on double all the time on the corner of Bath Road. Are people compliant no. They park on yellow line outside my house.

  6. If it’s not been adopted by the council, what is stopping the owner of that strip painting their own yellow lines, and enforcing them as private car parks do, clamp, and removal fee.

  7. I was not aware TDC were responsible for yellow lines. I have always thought KCC did Yellow lines etc.

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