Selfish motorists leave Shrewsbury residents parking mad
There are few things more frustrating for drivers when they find a parking space – only to find another car has been left halfway across it.
Or there are the cars left selfishly in the middle of pavements, stopping pedestrians from walking past, or the cars parked at bus stops.
Now hundreds of snap happy Shrewsbury residents are getting their own back.
They have taken to a Facebook page to shame drivers who park illegally in the county town.
Up to 1,500 frustrated drivers have started posting photographs on the internet of motorists routinely flouting parking laws in Shrewsbury.
It comes just days after Shropshire Council confirmed it was introducing night time patrols by traffic wardens after a string of complaints about drivers breaking the rules.
Almost 200 photographs have already been posted on the public page, which was set up by an anonymous Facebook user on August 10.
It is billed as a "page is for people who would like to share the amazing parking skills of people in Shrewsbury and the surrounding areas".
Examples include cars left on the zig-zags by traffic lights and parked over two parking bays.
Vehicles have been photographed parking half on and half off kerbs at the town's Cineworld Cinema and Claremont Street.
Cars have also been snapped sticking out into the road by Tandoori Cottage, in Monkmoor Road, as well as vehicles parked over two spaces at the Shrewsbury Sainsbury's on Meole Brace Retail Park and at Tesco Extra in Battlefield Road.
But the most shocking example of illegal parking comes in a picture posted on August 16 of a dark blue Renault Clio parked in a bus bay at Shrewsbury Bus Station, in Raven Meadows.
The picture was reportedly taken on a Sunday and one poster quipped: "The Arriva cuts are getting worse."
And another Facebook user said: "This town is full of bad drivers!"
Andrew Bannerman, who represents the town centre's Quarry and Coton Hill ward on Shropshire Council, said parking was the number one issue in Shrewsbury and that many drivers had got into "bad habits".
"Of course we want people to come into the town centre of an evening but inconsiderate parking does spoil other people's enjoyment," he said.
"Parking is a huge issue in Shrewsbury town centre and at the moment it's the issue I get the most complaints about from residents – both in terms of parking illegally and not having somewhere to park.
"There are areas of our town that are amazingly cluttered and crowded which I would say is almost dangerously so and it really is an issue which needs addressing.
"I am told that some people park on the pavement in some areas of the town centre because otherwise they would get bashed by passing cars but these people are oblivious to the fact that they could be stopping a buggy from getting past."
He added: "I actually witnessed somebody driving 200 yards to get to the pub the other day and I just couldn't believe it. Some motorists have got into some pretty bad habits with their driving."
It is the second Facebook page to be set up to shame bad parking in Shropshire, and follows the success of a page for Newport.
Earlier this month Shropshire Council officials said they had received complaints from residents and taxi drivers about indiscriminate parking in Shrewsbury town centre during the evenings and concerns about safety.
They confirmed they would be stepping up patrols by civil enforcement officers to warn drivers who park illegally or dangerously. If the situation does not improve tickets will be issues, they warned.
