Councillor Blames Double Yellow Gaffe On Ex-Bus Stop
By Hannah2009 | Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 09:59
The councillor in charge of transport who was caught parking on double yellow lines has defended his actions.
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Bristol City Council transport boss Gary Hopkins parked on double-yellow lines in a bus stop outside the Robert Fitzharding pub
Executive member Gary Hopkins made the front page of the Evening Post earlier this month when he was shown flouting parking restrictions in Cannon Street, Bedminster, in his silver Mercedes.
A series of questions were submitted to last night's council meeting from colleagues questioning his suitability as executive member for transport.
They also mentioned Mr Hopkins' vitriolic criticism of TV presenter Noel Edmonds for buying a former taxi and using it to drive in bus lanes in the city.
In written responses, Mr Hopkins said: "The yellow lines were put in place to 'protect' a bus stop that was long since deceased.
"What I will be doing is reviewing the enforcement of regulations that are many years out of date and no longer appropriate.
"The parking services team is a far better one than a couple of years ago but their job is not made any easier by, for example, ex-bus stops not being painted out years after they stopped being bus stops.
"Regulations need to be fair, clear and appropriate and can then be enforced fully effectively."
Comments
There you go Kaptain that's politicians for you be they local or national. They seem to forget they are the servants of the people and have to obey the laws the same as the people who were silly enough to put some of them there in the first place. They make the laws and WE obey them!
By sapphire1208 at 21:50 on 01/07/10
ReportRemember folks it's "Don't do what I do, do as I say!"
Personally I would like to see the lines extended so that they join with the yellow lines approaching the Cannon St/North St junction rather than having a short gap that allows cars to park there. At the moment vehicles and cyclists who wish to turn left into North St are forced to veer out into the right hand lane to get past parked cars then go back to the left to turn into North St. I have seen a couple of near misses where cyclists have almost been hit as they tried to get past large vans parked there.
By Kaptain_Von at 14:25 on 30/06/10
ReportCharming! So I can go and park there then when I next pop into the post office and that will be fine? If parking services give me a ticket, I can just refer them to Mr Hopkins?
Or perhaps I could use his excuse any where I chose to park: "I don't consider these regulations to be fair or appropriate...so I'm ignoring them!"
Still, I'm not the council transport boss, so obviously I won't be able to get away with such things.
By Mrs_W2009 at 10:45 on 30/06/10
ReportMaybe the bus stop is no longer there Gary but the double yellows are and you parked on them. Defunct (in your questionable opinion) they may be but until they are deregulated they're still enforceable and therefore your actions are not defendable.
By Sidderley at 10:27 on 30/06/10
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