I’m waging war on parking at picturesque seaside town… tourists fling cars anywhere but I have tool to stop them
A FORMER cop is waging war on annoying drivers who park their cars in the wrong places at a picturesque seaside town in the UK.
Andy Stewart, 54, has been hard at work in recent months cracking down on dodgy parkers in the Cornish village of Polzeath by laying down hundreds of yellow traffic cones in the street.
The 6ft 4in behemoth has joined forces with St Minver Lowlands Parish Council clerk Marnie Court to finally end the nuisance motorists ruining the top holiday spot.
The bright yellow markers have been used to stop tourists and locals parking on the village’s main road – as rain has delayed the crucial double yellow lines being painted.
Stewart who works as a beach ranger said: “There used to be a single yellow line but that was removed so double yellows could be painted.
“The weather prevented that from happening for quite some time then Easter hit and people were just taking advantage of free parking in a place that affects the flow of traffic.
“At times it can be unsafe so me and the parish council contacted the highways agency – they came out and deployed millions of cones.
“No one is at fault, the council aren’t at fault, the Highways Agency aren’t at fault, it’s just one of those things – it’s just nature doing its thing to make it complicated.”
Stewart was also mindful that if any emergency crews needed to rush to help an individual then they could face severe delays due to the roads being blocked by the parked cars.
He began working as a beach ranger back in 2019 and has always been proud of his work keeping the village safe and accessible.
One way he has maintained this is by working with the two local parish councils in the village as well as the Cornwall Council and staying in close communication with all three.
He told the Daily Mail: “We always take a multi-agency approach. It is the most efficient way to carry out our responsibilities.
“I usually put a short-term remedy in place and then raise it with the authorities such as the highways authority who can put in something longer-term.”
The cones were originally a short term suggestion but the council were thrilled by the idea and sent out their highway team to lay down the hundreds of props.
Polzeath’s Beach Ranger Service has gained national attention according to Stewart as he claims to have been sent queries and requests from several other local authorities for his advice.
He said: “We have actually had contact from quite a few places around the country asking for a blueprint because having a service like this means the local authorities get protected.
“We can sort out a lot of the minor issues at the coalface and save the police and council resources.
“We are the smiling face of Polzeath.”
But it isn’t just the parking that has caused nightmares for Stewart and the council.
In recent years, the popular beach has witnessed huge numbers of anti-social behaviour from young teenagers.
Multiple reports of heavy drinking, drug use, sex and extreme amounts of littering have all ruined Polzeath’s once great reputation.
Last year, infrared CCTV cameras managed to catch hundreds of kids making fires on the sand and leaving bottles of booze and empty cans dumped by the seafront.
The locals have placed the blame on the school holidays as the neighbouring posh colleges of Marlborough, Eton and Harrow all converse on the seaside village to party.
The Sun has contacted Cornwall Council for comment.
How to fight an unfair parking fine:
You need to go to the company issuing the notice in the first place – this should be on the notice or ticket you get.
This could be from a private car parking firm, supermarket or other firm, but not the council or police (we’ve got more on how to appeal those below).
You’ll need to tell them you’re challenging the fine and why, showing any evidence if you have it. According to Popla this could be:
- A crime reference number if the vehicle was stolen
- Photographs, for instance if you think that the signage was inadequate
- Pay and display voucher, for example, if you say it was displayed and had not expired
- A witness statement
Your evidence can be images, videos or scanned documents but make sure they are copies as originals can’t be returned.
You can use a template from Citizen’s Advice to write to them.
You can take the claim to Popla if the company is part of a trade body called the British Parking Association (BPA).
If the company is part of the International Parking Community (IPC) you can appeal to the Independent Appeals Service.
Both of these are independent services. Unfortunately if the company is not part of these bodies you can’t use the schemes.
You’ll need the number from your original parking notice and your car registration number.
While you appeal, the parking operator may add additional fees for later payment as the notice is not suspended during this time.
These are the most common reasons for appealing:
- The car was stolen
- The car wasn’t improperly parked as stated in the parking notice
- The amount being charged is incorrect
- Extreme circumstances prevented you from complying with parking conditions, for instance a medical emergency or car breakdown
If you are successful you won’t have to pay the fine. If you’re not successful you will have to pay, and this could include late charges too.
If you still don’t pay the company after your appeal is rejected the company can take you to court.
The court can force you to pay the fine plus more money on top if you lose.
You can “pay under protest” and make a small claim to get your money back, but there’s no guarantee and you’ll have to pay a fee
