Tensions rise in ‘saga’ of parking reviews

A change in priority for long-awaited parking reviews is causing rising tension and pitting neighbour against neighbour, as what has been dubbed “car wars” and “the parking saga” drags on.

Residents in Netherlee have reported cars being vandalised and anonymous notes left under windscreen wipers of cars parked in side streets between 8-9.15am and 4.30-6.30pm on weekdays.

Residents association spokeswoman and mum-of-two Barbara Rourke warns that neighbourhood harmony is being eroded and neighbours are beginning to become enemies overnight over custody of public parking spaces — and Rourke places the blame firmly within the corridors of East Ren Council.

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She said: “We’ve been patient so far but we are not prepared to play an incongruous game of musical cars for another 18 months.”

Rising tension was fuelled by a council decision to tag Thornliebank on to the list of areas to be reviewed first, shunting Netherlee down a rung in terms of priority.

Adding fuel to the fire, the decision to slip Thornliebank into fourth place was found on a post on the East Ren council Facebook page — and not even councillors representing the area were aware of the decision.

Councillor Ralph Robertson told The Extra: “I was never informed of this by the council. And, as far as I know, neither were the other councillors in the area. The residents are right to be upset.”

A spokeswoman for the council said: “We are sure the vast majority of our residents will act responsibly when parking on our streets. Timescales for the review in Netherlee have not changed.”

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