ILLEGAL PARKING?

A police mobile camera van was spotted apparently illegally parked in a busy Derby street during rush hour. The villain of the peace was a trainee police officer, who the force claims was not snooping for speeders but "getting to know the area". He had parked the van half on the pavement and half on the road in Station Road, Mickleover. The force's embarrassment was deepened by the fact the van was parked within two yards of a road sign reminding motorists that 13 people have been injured along Station Road in the last three years. A bottleneck was caused on the busy road by the van and traffic was forced to queue as motorists from either direction took turns to pass it, until it moved about an hour later.

Sergeant Pete Szabo, a spokesman for Derbyshire police, said, "It's not an offence to park on the pavement per se but, if it causes an obstruction, there is the power to issue a ticket or to offer the motorist advice." Although the police have not issued their own van with a ticket, Superintendent Tony Bateman, the head of Derbyshire police's operations division, said the matter had been investigated.

He said, "I appreciate that this incident has caused concerns and even anger amongst local Mickleover residents. The officer concerned is a new trainee. He was not issuing tickets on the day in question and no motorists will receive any processes in relation to that incident. He was just in the area familiarising himself with the road and its problems. Obviously it's been made clear to him that he shouldn't have parked where he was and the problems that it obviously caused. Police officers are not above the law. All officers using police vehicles are aware they should not park on pavements, verges, bus stops, or any other area where they would be likely to cause problems or an obstruction. In light of this incident, I will ensure that this policy is being correctly adhered to."

The police know the letter of the law, of course - or at least, the senior officers do - so naturally they have been quick to point out that it was not an automatic offence to park on the pavement. But they had to concede that police do have the power to issue a ticket if the vehicle is causing an obstruction. In this case, it has been decided not to book the offending officer who, we are told, was a new trainee. Well, what do you think? What alternative to stepping out into the busy road would anybody have if they were with a child in a pushchair, or were in a wheelchair?

One has to wonder just how sympathetically a firm's defence would be viewed - by the police or by the courts - if it offered the excuse that the offending driver was new to the job and was not familiar with the area. It would get pretty short shrift, it is safe to predict. The assurance from police that the trainee officer was not issuing tickets on the day in question is completely irrelevant. Also this police officer presumably holds a driving licence which meant having to pass his driving test. This would also mean studying the Highway Code, so he should be fully aware of the rules of the road.

In another case, an officer operating Derbyshire police's mobile safety camera unit parked his van less than four metres from a busy road junction. Frustrated motorists wishing to get out of Avenue Road on to the busy A6 running through Duffield were forced to cross over the middle of the road to go around the police van to reach the junction. Now, senior police officers have promised to investigate both incidents. Superintendent Tony Bateman, head of Derbyshire police's operations division, said in both cases, standards of parking by officers had fallen.

He added, "Our officers are fully aware of where they should and should not park. On this occasion and the one previously, the parking has fallen below acceptable standards. Both incidents are now being investigated and we're grateful to the Evening Telegraph and its readers for pointing them out. We apologise to any motorists or pedestrians who may have been obstructed by the van." Although the way the speed camera van was parked is not illegal, the Highway Code clearly states that no vehicle should park within 10 metres (32 feet) of a road junction in case it obstructs pedestrians or other road users.

IN REPLY
A former police officer, who now makes his living as an advanced driving instructor, has written following two displays of poor parking by the police. Chris Pooley of Mickleover-based XPC Driver Training, has launched an attack on the police speed campaign against motorists.... more >>>

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