Parking row goes to court
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• by Guy Sheppard An owner-driver is being taken to court in a row over a new £5-an-hour parking charge for trucks outside a Continental ferry port.
Dave Stride claims Portsmouth City Council imposed the charges without warning in an area which has traditionally been free. "I have heard of at least a dozen other drivers being caught by this, and it could be hundreds," he says.
The council is reclaiming a total of £525 in parking charges and court costs from Stride, who is based at Hedge End, near Southampton. "They have offered to reduce that by about 50% if I am prepared to settle before the case comes up," he says. "I don't want to do that. I have every intention of fighting and getting publicity for the other drivers."
Stride, who works for Seabrook International Transport. has been parking his tractor unit in the area for the past five years. and claims he was given no warning about the charge until he received a series of bills last year. On some he has been charged at a rate of £6 a day and on others £5 an hour.
He says there are still no signs in the parking area to warn drivers of the charges. The city council has deckled to comment until after the hearing at Portsmouth County Court on February 18.
The published charges vary according to the length of time a vehicle is parked. Import-accompanied vehicles are charged at £5 an hour, and other freight vehicles face a minimum charge of £6 a day. This rises to £24 a day if the vehicle is left for more than 24 days.
Stride is offering advice to any other drivers who feel they have been unfairly charged by the council. He can be contacted on 01489 783652.