A Stockport woman has hit out at the council, saying she feels 'persecuted' after they painted double yellow lines on 'historic' cobblestones outside her house.
Amanda Massey, 54, said the cobbles are 'hundreds of years old' and would be 'polished up to an inch of their lives' if they were in the historic cities of Chester or York. She has criticised the council for preventing herself and other residents from parking on the street, saying she is 'adding to emissions' by drving around looking for a parking space.
She also claims that emergency service vehicles are still able to get down the street with cars parked on both sides. Stockport Council said the restrictions are in place for 'safety', but an investigation into their purpose is ongoing.
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Amanda told the Manchester Evening News the problem started around 20 years ago, when double yellow lines were painted at the bottom of Store Street, near a social club. She admitted it 'can be tight' when ambulances try to get through, but said the council seemed to 'go through phases' of sending traffic wardens.
But the lines faded, and Amanda claims they were ignored for years. She told the M.E.N she had even won parking appeals for parking over the faded lines, and residents considered the problem sorted - until recently.
"A couple of weeks ago a letter came through and said we are painting lines on the road in the morning," she said. "I was given no notice. We feel persecuted.
"Sure enough as soon as those lines have been painted the wardens have been down the street two to three times a day. It is a very busy street, people park there to go to the shops. One side of the street is residents parking and the other is double yellow lines."
She said a traffic warden advised her to park on Buxton Road - the A6 - which would block the lanes on the busy main road through Hazel Grove.
Speaking of her frustration, she said she didn't understand the council's decision to repaint the lines.
"The council say they have got to keep the restrictions up, but they have not been painted for 15 years," she explained. "They are already breaking up again because they are on cobbles.
"I get its not an automatic right to park outside your own house. But emergency vehicles can get down with cars parked on both sides of the road.
"Those cobbles are hundreds of years old now. If we lived in Chester or York they'd be polished up to an inch of their lives. Here they just draw lines over them."
A spokesperson for Stockport Council said: “Store Street in Great Moor is a residential road, which is home to a social club and nursery located at the end of the cul-de-sac.
“To ensure those who attend the social club and nursery are safe when visiting, parking restrictions, which includes resident permit parking, have been in place for several years.
“In December, a petition was received by the area committee and local councillors have asked the council’s traffic service team to investigate if these road markings on Store Street are still fit for purpose or require altering. This investigation is ongoing.”
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