A mum has faced abuse for having to park on a busy A-road after double yellow lines were painted over her usual parking spot. Laura Murray, who lives in Keynsham with her son, originally used the on-street parking on Pixash Lane which was removed in February as part of work to accommodate the new Keynsham Recycling Hub.
Now she has been forced to leave her car parked on the busy A4 Bath Road in order to park near her house, but has faced abuse from other drivers. Ms Murray said: “It’s been an absolute nightmare.”
She said: “That’s the only legal place I can park because anywhere else is double yellows. They won’t let me park on the land outside my house because it's not a dropped kerb and apparently it's too close to the junction.”
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Ms Murray said she had to deal with rude messages written about her in local Facebook groups, drivers coming past “effing and blinding” at her, and abusive language written in dust on her car.
She said: “It’s kind of like living in fear in my own home. I don’t feel safe in my own home at the moment.”
Ms Murray says she was working with others on the street and is taking the issue to the local government ombudsman. She has also spoken to local MP Jacob Rees-Mogg who plans to raise the issue in Parliament.
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She said she had been told by the council it was not obligated to provide parking, but she said: “I’m just asking you to give it back. You took it.”
Manda Rigby, Bath and North East Somerset Council ’s cabinet member for highways, said: “The need to provide these parking restrictions has been in the public domain for some time as it formed part of the Transport Assessment in support of the planning application for Keynsham Recycling Hub that was submitted in January 2021.
“The correct process was followed to introduce the double yellow line parking restrictions through a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), including notices on site and adverts within local newspapers as required.
“Once we have had time to monitor traffic safety, we will undertake a review of the parking restrictions to determine whether any changes can be made. We’ll also be investigating some other potential ideas suggested by residents for improving Pixash Lane.
“Separate to this, we have [on Friday July 7] removed a section of double yellow lines in nearby Ashmead Road which will free up some parking there. These had been put in on a temporary basis when a booking system had operated at the recycling centre, but are no longer necessary.”
But Ms Murray said the parking on Ashmead road would not help people now forced to park on Bath Road. Local councillor Hal McFie and council officers will hold a meeting with concerned residents at the Masonic Hall at 6pm tonight (July 10).
