Letter of the week: Sunderland permit parking milks motorists of yet more money

I recently read a letter from a Sunderland Echo reader complaining of daylight robbery via enforced permit only parking and would like to expand on this a bit.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Jan 2018, 15:25 BST
Updated 3rd Jan 2018, 16:45 BST
Our writer feels law-abiding motorists are suffering because of the extension of permit zones for motorists in the Newcastle Road area of Sunderland.Our writer feels law-abiding motorists are suffering because of the extension of permit zones for motorists in the Newcastle Road area of Sunderland.
Our writer feels law-abiding motorists are suffering because of the extension of permit zones for motorists in the Newcastle Road area of Sunderland.

I had to take my mother to the doctor’s on Southwick Green only to find they have recently installed signs stating only 20 minutes of parking allowed outside the surgery.

As well as this I’ve noticed the permit holders only parking around the Stadium has expanded to further streets at the top of Newcastle Road (Penrith Road) and now includes all days not just match days.

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I’m sorry but, similar to how your "daylight robbery" writer felt, this is getting beyond a joke!

Are we going to see a day when everywhere within the SR postcode area will be permit only/restrictive parking and everyone is allowed one car only?

I can fully understand permit areas in places around the hospital or the Stadium of Light on matchdays but the remit for these permit areas is slowly getting out of hand.

I work in customer services in people’s houses and it genuinely scares me parking in these areas because I can guarantee as soon as I leave my vehicle that someone will ticket me (which has happened a few times before).

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Also I can’t apply for permits in advance because I don’t know where I’ll be working on any given day until I receive my jobs.

Furthermore I pay road tax for my car the same as every other motorist and judging by the state of the roads in some of the streets around my area the money I pay isn’t going into maintenance of the roads.

I’m beginning to wonder is my road tax basically being used to fund the installation of more permit only areas?

Another scheme designed to milk motorists of yet more money?

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If this wasn’t the case then what is the point of permit only areas in some places where it is time specific? (ie 9.30-10.30) is this to catch people out?

Let’s face it the signage itself is quite small and the times are quite specific.

It seems to me that the council is coming up with any way it can to take more money from innocent motorists (such as paying for parking to visit relatives in hospital) under a Conservative

Government that is finding any way it can to take money away from these councils.

Why does the law abiding motorist have to take the brunt of all of this?

Nathan Gray.

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Related topics:SunderlandSunderland EchoSouthwick GreenGovernmentStadium of Light