Parking row breaks out after man fined for leaving car on private land outside Portsmouth shop

Tony Wallace was given the fixed penalty notice by Portsmouth City Council when he parked his vehicle outside Panache Hair, in Baffins.

The 26-year-old lives at a property behind the hair studio and has been leaving his car in the space for four years without any problems.

But earlier this month, he was fined by a council traffic warden '“ a move which he thinks is unfair.

Tony said: '˜I have been parking on the private piece of land for four years and never had any problem. 

'˜The landlord said the land is definitely private as the council do not maintain it but now I have been fined so I am confused as to who owns the land and the council have not been able to clarify it.

'˜I also don't understand why there has been a sudden change.

'˜I thought it was a wind-up when I saw it. I was shocked because there has never been an issue and there was no warning as to parking rules being changed. 

'˜Parking is a nightmare in Baffins and now I will be putting one more car on the residential streets rather than outside the shop.'

A Portsmouth City Council spokesman said someone had complained about the vehicle and, upon inspection, it was seen to be parked on part of the pavement.

They said the owner of the car was warned and then given a ticket the following day.

But Tony said they never spoke to him directly.

'˜They told my dad who owns the tattoo studio next door but I was away at the time,' he added.

'˜I had my keys so he couldn't move it. Before I had the chance, I was given the ticket.

'˜I have appealed the ticket but have stopped parking there until it gets sorted as I don't want to get more.'

The council spokesman said: '˜There's a double yellow line here which forbids parking on the pavement, right up to the shop fronts. It doesn't matter who owns the land.

'˜The area nearest to the shops has long been used by people to walk up to the businesses and is therefore enforced as part of the public highway. In any case, the car was partly parked off this area, on the council-maintained part of the pavement.

'˜We received a complaint that a vehicle was parked on the pavement and the driver was given a warning the day before the penalty was issued.  

'˜We understand that parking in some areas of Portsmouth is difficult but drivers must comply with parking restrictions. They are welcome to appeal.'