Shopkeepers next to the worst parking spot in Derby have expressed their frustration and disappointment at what they see as overly strict overseers imposing fines on supply drivers. They say parking attendants are waiting at Babington Lane and issuing penalty fees to drivers who unload supplies to stores.
The street is home to dozens of businesses, but Babington Lane parking is limited to disabled badge holders. Road dealers say they cannot load and unload goods from and from their stores without fear of being fined for what they describe as “24-hour car parks”.
Between April 2020 and April 2022, 1,770 Babington Lane penalty fee notices were issued in downtown Derby, making it the city’s largest street for parking fines. Business owners at Babington Lane find it rude to issue penalty notices to drivers delivering bulky goods, such as Hunters furniture.
Read more: The five streets in Derby where drivers receive the most parking fines
A business owner at Babington Lane told Derbyshire Live: “It’s a nightmare. They’re really strict and they stand, wait and watch. We’ve given up even fighting it now, I’m just paying for it. For £ 35 it’s not even worth the hassle. “But my clients get loads, we get one at least once a month between clients and staff.”
The Babington Lane car park, at the top of the road, is managed by NCP and offers all-day parking for £ 3.50. However, this is of little use to people who pick up or unload heavy furniture from Hunters on the other side of Babington Lane, where loading is not allowed between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., which are peak hours.
Matthew Sheard, managing director of the Hunters furniture store, told Derbyshire Live that it would be impossible to run the business without loading and unloading outside the store.
Hunters Furniture Store has been on Babington Lane for more than 90 years (Image: Derby Telegraph)
He said: “This really affects our customers, they are worried about getting a ticket and so they are in a hurry much more than we would like because they parked outside. We tell them there is an NCP at the top of the road, but for convenience they want to park nearby.
“From our own point of view, the only way we can run our business is to import goods in and out of the store all the time. The only place we can do that is at Babington Lane and we are known for taking tickets in the past by van outside our own shop, but it is impossible to run a furniture store in the city center without bringing furniture into it, so we have no choice but to park there several times a day.
Mr Sheard said the business used Gower Street for loading, but has since become a bus stop. He said that when the parking for people with disabilities on Babington Lane came into force, he expressed his concerns about the lack of cargo spaces on the street.
He said: “Customers love to collect things, so we try to know when they’re coming so they can rush in and out because they’re worried about getting tickets.
“The price of parking, even with our customers, who are pretty good, is at the top of their minds. They are really considering it and it is a question that comes to the city how expensive it is to park. I would say that this affects the business and it’s just another reason not to come and we need as many reasons as possible because people prefer to shop online and not worry. “
The data revealed that the Derby City Council issued fines for cars totaling almost £ 2 million last year – which includes fines for driving in bus lanes and fines for parking. A notice of a parking fine may be issued if it is assumed that the driver has not paid for parking, has parked only in a permitted or prohibited area or the time has elapsed on their parking ticket, which makes it invalid.
Businesses say they can’t load on the street (Image: Derby Telegraph)
Derbyshire Live contacted the Derby City Council for comment.
The five best streets in the derby for most parking penalty notices are:
- Babington Lane 1770 issued PCN
- Osmaston Road 1430
- Normanton Road 1394
- Harriet Street 1085
- Lyndhurst Street 1,042
In addition, new information has been released that the city council has issued parking fines totaling almost £ 2 million from motorist fines throughout the calendar year 2021. The figures include all PCNs related to motorists – such as bus lane fines, and not just parking crimes.
In total, the board raised £ 1,943,088.86. Last week, it was announced that the council had increased revenue by almost £ 500,000 by issuing a very close 20,000 PCN to motorists to enter the Corporation Street, which is off-limits to cars and motorcyclists between 7am and 7pm.
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