News / Transport
New year, new vandalism for Montpelier RPZ
Disdain for newly-introduced controlled parking in Montpelier shows no sign of going away as the new year saw new attacks on parking meters.
Meters were filled with expanding foam again, following similar attacks and the defacing and removal of signs which took place after the scheme went live last year.
The latest vandalism came on Richmond Road and St Andrew’s Road and will again mean some drivers will be exempt from paying while the machines are out of order.
Vandalism in residents’ parking zones (RPZ) zones was estimated to have cost about £30,000 last year, according to the city council.
With the problems persisting, a spokesperson said on Wednesday that the authority had now set up a “rapid response system” to deal with the on-going damage.
The council said: “Since we became aware of the unusually high level of vandalism taking place in Montpelier, we set up a separate rapid response system to deal with tackling the damage which continues to operate when vandalism is spotted or reported.
“We respect the right of individuals to exercise their civil liberties and protest peacefully but threats, assaults and vandalism are totally unacceptable. We will work with the police to bring any culprits responsible to justice.”
The Montpelier RPZ has had a mixed response from residents, with many also praising the new rules for clearing busy streets and preventing cars parking on pavements.
The council said it was unable to provide an accurate new figure for the total cost of vandalism to the area. They added that a process had also been set up to resolve “confusion” when drivers attempt to pay for parking. They denied that the Montpelier RPZ had become “unenforceable”.
The final RPZ went live in Spike Island at the start of January.
Pictures from Gus Hoyt and Christian Martin.
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