Residents protest at level of flats parking

“The 'profit' from the parking fines goes into the government pot to help keep the country running. If it wasn't for the car driving, drinking smokers (not all at the same time) then the country would be in an even worse state. The best way to ruin the country would be to go green - sad but true!

I'm doing my best with the driving and the drinking but I'm not taking up smoking! My parents smoked 100 cigarettes a day between them, God rest their blackened lungs.”

“Its all a sorry state of affairs Now. But the Council are quite happy to give tickets, rather than do something about the problem of too few parking spaces for residents ! I'm wondering Where is this profit going from these tickets? Sure as hell not on the roads, Or Parking spaces where you twist your ankle or put your back out every now and then on the unleven parking bays, that have been here for 40 yeas plus without any maintinance.”

“tbaby, Yes, I have a car, although since we retired I don't usually need to go in one direction while my husband goes in another, so mine is low mileage unless it is being borrowed by a friend. When we are at home we have enough garaging, when in the UK it is a constant problem trying to find a space near Mum's or son's, so I am only too well aware of the problem. Forestdale, Addo etc. were laid out when a lot of families had no car at all, or just one per household. Now it is different, and you get a parking ticket for parking considerately albeit overhanging a pavement which nobody walks along because it goes nowhere! There are lots of nice green spaces, and I can see them disappearing under parked cars in the near future.

This is why I feel strongly about the lack of parking provision in new developments. You won't stop people having cars just by making parking difficult, you will just spread the problem into nearby streets.”

“3rd - electronic timers - whatever next? sorry but I haven't been on a bus for 30 years and I only went on the tram on day 1 so I could save the ticket as an investment (anyone want to buy it now?). I may have used the tram more if it had been designed as a 'park and ride' but the planning people had the same plan as no parking for houses.

I personally have 4 cars but that is my choice - I could have spent the money on booze, fags and drugs but I chose to spend it on cars. I only drive them one at a time and they all fit into my garage so not in anyone's way.”

“Yes Diana You are making this sound like you have no car, But,Your Husband has a car that runs you around, Does he have a garage or drive way to park his car here?
Maybe in France, but what about your flat in croydon?
Or at your mothers home or vistiting your son down the road from Mother? Is there enough spaces for Family and friends there?
Try parking where I live there are only 8 spaces, 4 on either side of the road ! Go to the shop and the space is gone then you have to lug all your shopping up the road.
The Council has not kept up to date the "50"s transport is Nothing like todays.!
But the Council is still stuck in that warp.”

“I'm afraid I haven't been on a bus for decades - literally! For thirty years I lived on a hill with a bus stop at the top and another at the bottom, OK for commuting but not for shopping. I rarely shop without buying things, and can no longer face carrying heavy bags for any distance. I dare say that, had I been practising for a lifetime, I could carry a week's shopping in a bundle on my head, but I didn't start early enough and it's too late now. I admire Don for surviving without a car, and hope he will still be able to do without one when he's my age.

Quite honestly, if I can afford to buy and run a car, am prepared to be fleeced by insurance companies, oil companies, garages, traffic wardens, NCP and the tax man, and particularly if I own enough garage or drive space to keep my car out of everyone else's way, then why shouldn't I?

To attempt to dissuade people from owning cars by denying them or their visitors anywhere to park seems very unfair. It won't stop the residents owning cars, it will just make them park in front of other people's houses.”

“I'm a commuter and don't have a train station where I live. I only find that the buses are a 'nightmare' where the roads are clogged up with parents ferrying their teenagers to school. Considering that they get free bus travel and aren't carrying double bass' for band practice, I see no reason why the parents need to drive them right into the school grounds each day. The roads are clear on the school holidays.”

“Personally I would not live anywhere where there was no room for my cars. There are 5 cars in my family home (wife and kids).

But that's my personal choice. Maybe if I were single and wanted to live in the centre of town things would be different. And when I say centre of town I actually mean the city of London. You can get anywhere by tube and buses are plentiful.

Croydon doesnt have the good transport links like central London.”

“Diana

I don't own a car either, so, I generally really on Shanks' Pony.

I'm just wondering why as a nation we need to be two car families. When did it happen? In the past, one car was sufficient. Did cars suddenly become less expensive to buy and run, or, have the media and advertising people suckered us into thinking that we can't live without two cars?

There's fair comment on how poor alternative transport is - buses are a nightmare I agree and that would force people on to the roads and of course there is more personal safety in a car.

However, the bottom line of this story is that we shouldn't build accommodation for human beings to live in because there won't be enough room to park my one or two cars.

That can't be right, can it?”

“No, they are late. I look on the electronic timer and it says bus due in 5 minutes. 5 minutes come and go and it still says 5 minutes. Sometimes if you are unlucky the buses just vanish from the timer and never turn up.

Buses are peasant carriers.”