A FED-UP driver has posted videos on social media showing the issues caused by double parking in his neighbourhood. 

The motorist said he counted ‘13 parking infractions in 54 seconds’ along one of Blackburn’s busiest streets where double marking ‘is making two-way streets effectively one-way’. 

The stretch along Whalley Range and Randal Street is home to a range of shops and takeaways. In several short videos the driver said he noticed countless cases of illegal parking and urged local the local council to do more for residents living in the area. He also said traffic wardens were not booking drivers. 

A claim which Blackburn with Darwen Council refuted and revealed parking officers had visited Randal Street and Whalley Range 224 times over a six-month period between July and December 2021 and issued 58 tickets.

The driver, known as Fayaz on Twitter, who filmed the video, said: “It is shocking how this has been allowed to get like this. People are parking all over the place and it has become a free for all. 

“If you drive along Whalley Range people are parked on double yellow lines. There is a constant bad parking as you pass Ribble Street along Whalley Range with people parked on the left past the pelican crossing. 

“We have restaurants holding large-scale events where people turn up and park in the middle of Randal Street. They block the road and there is nothing anyone can do about it. 

“These are two-way streets which have become single lanes due to the amount of people parking illegally. 

“It is easy to blame the businesses but the responsibility lies with the council who have not made an effort to accommodate parking spaces. 

“There simply is not enough parking in this area and local residents are having to suffer.” 

Traffic enforcement officers visited Randal Street 105 times in the six months from 1 July 2021. During that time 44 observations were made and 22 tickets issued on this road. On Whalley Range 124 visits were made and 36 tickets issued. 

Martin Eden, director of place for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said traffic officers could only visit areas with the time and resources available to them. He said: “As you can see from the figures provided, our parking enforcement officers regularly visit and enforce this Randal Street and Whalley Range area. 

“Resources and the need to cover the entire borough dictates the number of times our enforcement officers can manage any one area. 

“Most of our residents have the care and respect to not illegally park on double yellow lines, however this is unfortunately not always the case. 

“Our parking enforcement officers will continue to visit this area, and the rest of our borough, and do all they can to fine those who are parking unsafely.” 

Shear Brow and Corporation Park ward Councillor Hussain Akhtar said he was aware of the parking problem. 

He said: “This is something we have been looking at and I agree there are parking issues at certain spots. We have known there are issues for a long time. “At the same time we are trying to work with businesses and residents. 

“I am not happy with double parking myself and I can understand that people will be unhappy.” 

Traffic enforcement officers visited Randal Street 105 times in the six months from 1 July 2021. During that time 44 observations were made and 22 tickets issued on this road. On Whalley Range 124 visits were made and 36 tickets issued. 

 

 

Martin Eden, director of place for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said traffic officers could only visit areas with the time and resources available to them. He said: “As you can see from the figures provided, our parking enforcement officers regularly visit and enforce this Randal Street and Whalley Range area. 

“Resources and the need to cover the entire borough dictates the number of times our enforcement officers can manage any one area. 

“Most of our residents have the care and respect to not illegally park on double yellow lines, however this is unfortunately not always the case. 

“Our parking enforcement officers will continue to visit this area, and the rest of our borough, and do all they can to fine those who are parking unsafely.” 

Shear Brow and Corporation Park ward Councillor Hussain Akhtar said he was aware of the parking problem. 

He said: “This is something we have been looking at and I agree there are parking issues at certain spots. We have known there are issues for a long time. “At the same time we are trying to work with businesses and residents. 

“I am not happy with double parking myself and I can understand that people will be unhappy.” 

Cllr Akhtar said they had arranged meetings to discuss the issues. He added: “We have had meetings with the police and a further meeting was cancelled due to Covid and will be rearranged this month. “We need to work together to see what we can do.”