Frustrated Portsmouth shopkeeper vows to keep parking on pavement '“ even if council installs bike racksÂ

Anthony Wallace, of Tangier Road, has described the latest development in an ongoing parking row with Portsmouth City Council as '˜a waste of resources' as there is nothing to stop him continuing to park outside his tattoo parlour.

The 52-year-old and his son Tony were left feeling '˜victimised' after being handed a parking ticket in October despite regularly using their forecourt as a car space for four years, and now the council could implement bike racks along the path to deter parking.

Anthony said: '˜I only use that space if I can't find anywhere else to park. It is awful round here, the other night I was driving around for 45 minutes just to find somewhere to park.

'˜It is my property, I have to pay to maintain it. What's the point in that if I can't even use it?'

The parking ticket was this week quashed and Anthony says he just wants clarification.

'˜I've had nothing in writing to say I can't legally park there and the police have told me I can park on the pavement as long as I use due care,' he said.

'˜But if the council or the police told me it was illegal I wouldn't do it.

'˜We've had wardens come out whenever we park there and often they do nothing. I've asked them about the rules on me parking there and they never seem to know.

'˜And if these bike racks go up I can still reach my parking space by going up from the zebra crossing, they won't stop me. It is a waste of resources and a waste of taxpayers' money.'

Anthony said other businesses along his road also use their forecourts for parking. He added: '˜The other night I came back from parking at the other side of Baffins pond and I saw that cars were parked outside the shops next to mine. So what's the point in me parking so far away if other people are doing it?'

But the council's head of transport, Cllr Lynne Stagg, explained that the cycle racks could improve safety issues on the road.

She said:  There are safety concerns around people driving across the pavement in Tangier Road, particularly where they are using the dropped kerb of a zebra crossing.

'˜We are monitoring the situation and looking at any improvements that could be made.

'˜One option might be putting in cycle racks as this could improve safety and have the added bonus of promoting sustainable travel.'

Kevin McKee, Portsmouth City Council' s parking team manager, added: '˜The area outside the shops is used by pedestrians and it isn' t acceptable to drive over a busy pavement and park a vehicle when there is no formal vehicle crossing point.

'˜We have previously explained the restrictions to Mr Wallace and  that this is an offence liable to enforcement, from both ourselves or the police.

'˜Other vehicles parking in a similar way have also been subjected to penalty charge notices.'