‘Fake’ double yellow lines effective at deterring anti-social parking on Cambridge street
Yellow lines that have been painted on to the junction of Meadowlands and The Homing have been put there because residents have been let down by agencies that should be responding to their concerns, says city councillor Naomi Bennett.
The fake lines lines – which are convincing enough to deter would-be drivers parking in the vicinity – appeared in early June, following concerns about safety on the bend.
“The yellow lines are set back a bit from Newmarket Road because the agency who put them in thought nobody would be mad enough to park on the corner,” Cllr Bennett (Green, Abbey) told the Cambridge Independent. “We have legal county highway yellow lines at the top of Meadowlands but unfortunately, as predicted, these have the effect of shifting the parking down the road. Residents have been sending me photos of persistent offenders and we’re trying to find out who’s doing it.”
Cllr Bennett made it clear that the offenders are non-residents who are not Marshall employees working at the airport compound.
“I agree there is anti-social parking and that is really bad. It is quite close to the airport and the timing of the anti-social parking suggests it’s workforce overflow, but we know it’s not Marshall’s staff as they have a system where they name and shame offenders.”
The anonymous painter who turned to direct action has not stepped forward. Meanwhile, the situation has continued, with residents apparently happy with the newly reduced level of traffic.
“If people have done DIY lines to be honest I think they’ve had every provocation,” Cllr Bennett says. “Residents have been reporting the parking offenders, they have put in a council application, and they have contacted local employers – it’s hard to do more unless someone puts cards on the cars.
“I did support the application for the correct yellow lines being put in [on the Meadowlands Road/The Homing junction].
“I understand that county council people are not very happy for people just to paint yellow lines on the road but that’s the situation that has developed.”
No resident was prepared to speak publicly on the issue, and no regulatory body appeared aware that the fake lines were in place.
Yellow lines are supported by Traffic Regulation Orders made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the order will specify the exact location and extent of the restrictions shown by yellow lines.
The interpretation of the law has varied. In 2017 a Yorkshire council declined to get involved when double yellow lines were painted on a road – but the road was on private land. Clearly these hand-painted road markings in Cambridge are not on private land, but no fines could result from drivers parking on this section of the road because they have no legal validity.
A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “We have not received any complaints about parking at this junction. We will need to remove the lines that have been painted on the road unlawfully. Residents can request parking restrictions in their area on our ‘Parking management’ website.”
Full details here.
