Parking by Lewes Station

[Hastings gull]

I wonder if anyone can kindly shed any light on this, or report their own experience. Last night I parked in Lewes as parking is free after 6pm. We used a road very close to the station. The usual sign saying 9 to 5 was on display, and underneath was a yellow sign talking of "parking Suspension for Traffic Flow". The sign looked more to do with the nearby station road works than parking. My son in law -a serving Police Officer, with me, looked at both and judged that the suspension was only from 9 to 5, when traffic flow would indeed be needed. The Suspension notice gave no indication of time. it was in no way unequivocal -it did not say that parking was forbidden at any time.
Needless to say, I and a whole long line of others came back after the game to find the notice of our crime stuck to the windscreen. Given that this notice referred to a period from last February to next month, it is reasonable to assume that those who parked there in good faith last night were not the only ones. Given that we found the whole thing misleading, it is also reasonable to assume that others did earlier in the year, and that Lewes Council must have realised that there were clear misunderstandings, and have done little if anything to remedy this. Indeed at 20.02 last night, when the ticket was issued, the cynic in me said they knew precisely when to strike -ironically at the time when traffic flow was NOT affected adversely. Or do all traffic wardens work at 20.00?!
I am wondering if anyone has been caught by this, and can offer any advice. I am sure that Lewes Council will have ensured that they are legally watertight, but you never know.

 

[Notters]

Was this on Eastport Lane by any chance? We stopped there at the weekend to pick up a takeaway and I thought the sign was a little confusing, though decided it probably did mean no parking. The people who parked next to us asked if we knew what the situation was as well.

I think if you write them a long letter you might get off it. I should take pictures of the sign if you haven't already.

 

[Hastings gull]

Was this on Eastport Lane by any chance? We stopped there at the weekend to pick up a takeaway and I thought the sign was a little confusing, though decided it probably did mean no parking. The people who parked next to us asked if we knew what the situation was as well.

I think if you write them a long letter you might get off it. I should take pictures of the sign if you haven't already.

Thanks for your reply. We have taken pictures of the two signs, with the 9to5 clearly showing above. Looking at the street map it was on Southover Road, immediately to the left after having walked along the roadworks. I notice that Eastport Lane is close by so doubtless in the same boat.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

They're *******s! They purposely use confusing signs to catch people out, see it all the time! Appeal it, chances are you'll get let off

 

[stss30]

As you alluded to, the roads around there are being used as an official diversion route because of the railway bridge being closed. I imagine the council's argument would be if lorries want to get though there etc you are disrupting/slowing the flow of the traffic. But the fact that a traffic warden was out there checking at 8pm suggests to me they are using it as a cash cow instead of actually trying to be helpful. If the signage is unclear regarding times I would fight it.

 

[the wanderbus]

If parking is paid for until 6pm and was only suspended until then surely the sign would have said "parking suspended until 6pm" as there is no set times on the sign I would think you could take it as gospel that parking is suspended continually until the work on station rd is finished and the signs are taken down .

 

[Tom Bombadil]

From your description it seems perfectly obvious to me - don't park. As for stss30, what time exactly is acceptable to you for the council to enforce parking restrictions?

 

[stss30]

From your description it seems perfectly obvious to me - don't park. As for stss30, what time exactly is acceptable to you for the council to enforce parking restrictions?

During normal working hours when these roads are actually busy? Or is that too much of a common sense approach?

 

[Easy 10]

LDC using snide and underhand tactics ?

I for one refuse to believe it.

 

[the wanderbus]

During normal working hours when these roads are actually busy? Or is that too much of a common sense approach?

The road is a diversion to take the traffic that would normally be using station rd, with cars parked along one side it is barely more than a single track....there is a reason for parking restrictions, though I do agree that it seems more than coincidental to have parking wardens on duty after 8 pm when the Albion are at home.

 

[Hastings gull]

If parking is paid for until 6pm and was only suspended until then surely the sign would have said "parking suspended until 6pm" as there is no set times on the sign I would think you could take it as gospel that parking is suspended continually until the work on station rd is finished and the signs are taken down .

I fully accept that the temporary notice said that parking was suspended and were it not for the fact that the original sign was evident, I would not have stopped there. That would have been asking for trouble. But since the original sign made mention of restrictions until 5 , and that traffic flow seemed important, which it would be during the day, it was reasonable to assume that after 5 and certainly at 6.30, it was OK. I was in no hurry and in the past have parked elsewhere, and it is just so annoying that you are seemingly penalised for a genuine error, and the fact that a whole long line was involved, shows that the sign organisers could clearly have been more explicit, or was there another reason for the ambiguity, I wonder . . .

 

[stss30]

The road is a diversion to take the traffic that would normally be using station rd, with cars parked along one side it is barely more than a single track....there is a reason for parking restrictions, though I do agree that it seems more than coincidental to have parking wardens on duty after 8 pm when the Albion are at home.

It's been turned into a one way street for the diversion so even with cars parked it on the one side, it's more acceptable for that time in the evening. As I say, I'm not arguing that the parking restrictions shouldn't be imposed at busier periods but seems very 'convenient' that traffic wardens are working at that time and quite frankly unnecessary when the cars, in all actuality will be having virtually zero effect on the 'traffic flow'. I would hope that the timed signs would be covered over if they were not applicable.

 

[the wanderbus]

That's the thing though , the permanent signs show parking restrictions, the temporary ones state that parking is suspended. The trouble is making a mistake isn't acceptable as a defence.

 

[Grassman]

I parked there initially, read the sign and thought I'm not taking the chance, so moved a few hundred yards away. I agree the sign was ambiguous though.

 

[dazzer6666]

I just use a car park up the road. Free from 5pm.

 

[Hastings gull]

I just use a car park up the road. Free from 5pm.

Thanks. Which one do you use?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

My advice ..... appeal, appeal, appeal.

Use www.pepipoo.com to assist - you will need to post up photos of both sides of the ticket but they have a good record of ripping these things apart.

 

[Notters]

Thanks for your reply. We have taken pictures of the two signs, with the 9to5 clearly showing above. Looking at the street map it was on Southover Road, immediately to the left after having walked along the roadworks. I notice that Eastport Lane is close by so doubtless in the same boat.

Having looked at the map again, I had the wrong road. It was Southover Road, opposite the Lansdown pub.

 

[Hastings gull]

My advice ..... appeal, appeal, appeal.

Use www.pepipoo.com to assist - you will need to post up photos of both sides of the ticket but they have a good record of ripping these things apart.

Thanks and indeed to everyone who has responded. Much appreciated.

 

[dazzer6666]

Thanks. Which one do you use?

For evening games either top of North St or the small one on East St (5 mins walk from the station), and on Saturday games the bottom of North St (<10 mins walk and about £2 I think).