Wellington Local Policing Team Tackles Parking Issues

Police in Wellington are once again working with their local community to help ease traffic problems in an area of the town.

At a number of recent PACT (Partners and Communities Together) Meetings, residents have raised concerns about parking issues along North Road and its side streets. Residents have once again told officials that illegal parking was especially prevalent at the beginning and end of the school day.

In a bid to try and combat the problem, ahead of start of the new school year, police officers and community support officers will be increasing their patrols in the area and will be assessing whether they need to carry out parking enforcement.

Officers from the Wellington North Local Policing Team, which includes PC Zoe Becke, Community Support Officer Maurice Brookes and Community Support Officer Trudy Jones, will be speaking to parents of children at the school, and local mototirsts generally, to ensure that everyone is aware of the need to park legally and responsibly so as not to put pedestrians at risk.

PC Becke said this issue is one that has been ongoing for some time and, although it has been addressed successfully in the past, old bad habits seem to have started to resurface again.

"There are two primary schools and a secondary school along North Road and residents are once again telling us that parking along there is beginning to get out of hand," she said.

"The local policing team will now be giving the area increased attention once again and advice will be given to motorists about their parking. I'd like to warn people that if they are parked illegally they will be moved on.

She added: "It is worth noting that it is not just school traffic that is causing a problem but parking in general and therefore it is important that everyone listens to our warnings and gives proper thought to where they are parking their cars.

"If these problems persist we will have no qualms about moving our presence into an enforcement phase but hopefully people will heed our warnings and address this issue before we have to take more drastic action."

Issued: Wednesday 25 August 2010