Coronavirus: Portsmouth parking wardens facing 'massive' rise in abuse amid Covid-19 lockdown

As the nation went into lockdown, Portsmouth City Council took unprecedented action to scrap all paid-for parking across the island earlier this week.

The authority claimed the measure had been drafted to ‘support the community’ during the viral outbreak which has gripped the globe.

However, the council’s leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson has today revealed a spike in abuse faced by the parking monitors was ‘partly’ to blame for the temporary suspension plan.

It comes as the government launched strict lockdown measures, demanding people stay at home and only leave if absolutely necessary.

Councillor Vernon-Jackson said: ‘Traffic wardens are being given a hard time by some people.

‘We have decided to not enforce lots of traffic regulations and residents parking zones. All council car parks are now free and there is no pay-and-display.

‘That’s partly because traffic wardens were being targeted by people.’

Parking enforcement teams will still patrol to stop illegal parking on yellow lines, which can prevent access for emergency services or home deliveries that residents are currently relying on. Disabled parking bays and electric charging bays will also continue to be enforced.

One source within the council’s parking team said officers are still being targeted for carrying out their job.

‘They are receiving massive amounts of abuse,’ the official said. ‘I have not been told of anyone being physically abused.

‘This is just a ramp up in verbal abuse.’

The claims come as the Local Government Association (LGA) today warned more council workers were being attacked for implementing the government’s social distancing policy.

Nationally, the authority said one council officer had his leg broken by a cyclist who deliberately rode into him, while recycling workers, park groundskeepers, civil enforcement officers, road engineers and bus drivers had been spat at, sworn at and racially abused.

LGA chairman councillor James Jamieson said: ‘It is becoming increasingly concerning to hear that local government workers are being subjected to physical and verbal abuse as they try and play their part in keeping the country running through this crisis.

‘This is unacceptable, and it has to stop.’

Cllr Vernon-Jackson added that the ‘majority’ of residents in Portsmouth were understanding of the new measures and had accepted them well.

He continued: ‘There are some problems but I think that across the city the enormous majority of people are trying really hard to do everything they can to make sure that they’re sticking to the rules.’