The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A Spalding landlord believes people may be tempted to run the risk of drink driving rather than face a parking ticket for leaving their car in town.
Pete Williams, of the Punchbowl in New Road, says parking enforcement officers are making it nigh on impossible for people to relax and enjoy themselves in the town centre.
He believes that rather than be sociable and enjoy a second glass of wine and then leave their car in town and get a taxi home, people are being forced to go home before they are ready or take a dangerous decision to climb behind the wheel because they know they will get a fine if they don’t pick their car up early enough the next morning before restrictions take effect.
Mr Williams has been a vocal campaigner for more relaxed parking rules in Spalding town centre as he believes restrictions drive trade away, hurting the very businesses they are supposed to help.
He said: “The whole idea was that restrictions were enforced so people couldn’t take up bays all day long and prevent shoppers coming in.
“But these days you are just up against the clock when you come into Spalding and there’s no time to relax and just enjoy what the town centre has to offer.
“Even on Good Friday and Easter Monday the traffic wardens were in the town centre and yet again I saw a car parked outside the Punchbowl get issued with a ticket.
“It’s totally counter-productive and there’s something very wrong about it.
“It’s legally all above board but there’s still something not right about it and although this kind of enforcement might be popular with one or two people, I think the majority are against it because it’s putting people off coming into Spalding.
“If you come in with a list of things to do, you are racing to get them done and get back to your car before your parking ticket runs out and there’s no time to stop for a coffee and cake, or a pint in the pub.”
In March, just over 300 parking tickets were issued by enforcement officers operating across South Holland.
