Cherry picking illegal parkers

By an amazing coincidence, a section of the wooden barrier surrounding The Green was broken and the travellers must have spotted this and used the resultant gap as a way of accessing The Green for their illegal camp.

They exploited a similar broken section last year and similarly exploit other broken fences to gain access to fields all over the area. A section of hedge fell over beside the A259, by the Angmering School which the travellers used to gain access to private fields there. It amazes me how they always know where the broken sections are.

It also amazes me that the authorities don’t check their fences more often. I think it is about time these flimsy wooden fences are replaced with something more robust.

But what has made me put pen to paper today is the insensitive double standards I witnessed this morning. Driving along South Terrace, I saw a civil enforcement officer (or parking warden) ticketing a vehicle parked in the lay-by on the south side of the road. Directly behind him was the travellers’ camp.

Whilst I understand why he probably doesn’t want to confront the intimidating travellers (even the police stay clear unless they have sufficient numbers), it seems insensitive to issue penalty charge notices to someone considered easier or safer to deal with.

Whereas the travellers’ illegal camp requires court orders to move them but never results in a prosecution or fine, the vehicle owner was probably just late in leaving this morning but has earned himself a cash penalty that will be enforced with all the tools the council can bring to bear, which include escalating unpaid fines and sending in the bailiffs.

I don’t have any issue with prosecuting illegal parkers, but prosecute them all or none, don’t just cherry pick the easy ones. Especially don’t penalise a vehicle parking in a lay-by a little late ,next to where many vehicles are given a free pass to mount pavements and park on The Green for several days and nights.

Steve Harris

Tideway

Littlehampton

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