BYRNE VOWS TO SAVE GRASS VERGES

Liam Byrne, MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill, today demanded the Lib Dem / Tory administration at Birmingham City Council take action on the parking crisis in Hodge Hill. The campaign follows complaints from local residents’ at Liam’s regular residents’ meetings, and in his postbag every week – about a lack of parking locally.

Last month Liam summoned council chiefs to demand that they take more action to get a grip on the parking crisis. At the meeting Council bosses confessed that they didn’t even know how many new parking spaces are needed in the ward—a task which Liam and his team are preparing to take on themselves.

The council also admitted that very little parking enforcement is taking place to keep verges safe – despite it being a civil offence – and a responsibility of local government to enforce.

Liam and his team have had enough of council dithering. Liam has asked local residents’ to tell him if a lack of parking is a problem in their area, and asked them to support his 3 point plan to help save our grass verges. This includes:

1. asking for rapid response units to enforce parking regulations
2. increased signage on verges
3. more parking bays

Liam said

‘Not only does the destruction of our grass verges look bad, it is a real hazard for residents, especially children and the elderly. When cars drive over verges they take mud onto the pavement which can then be very easy to slip on.’

‘The problem is that car drivers want somewhere to park off the road, and the council seem totally ignorant to the lack of parking in Hodge Hill – so residents take matters into their own hands’.

‘This Lib Dem / Tory administration seem to have taken a night watchman approach to government. On so many decisions they shrug their shoulders and do nothing. It can’t carry on for much longer.’

ENDS