Cheeky residents paint disabled bays outside homes in parking space battle

Cheeky residents who are battling for parking spaces in an inner city street have painted dodgy disabled bays outside their homes.

There are about 16 bays on Clarence Road in Sparkhill, Birmingham, where residents said there was fierce competition for spaces - but not all are believed to be genuine. Picture: SWNS

Drivers have even resorted to hiring a company to paint white wheelchair symbols on the highway as motorists fight to bag parking spaces.

More than 16 suspicious markings have appeared on Clarence Road, in Sparkhill, Birmingham, in recent weeks.

The city council is now investigating claims a rogue firm has been charging desperate residents £100 to paint the fake markings.

Unofficial disabled parking bays appear to have been painted. Picture: SWNS

Clarence Road has become notorious for a lack of parking, with residents resorting to leaving out wheeled bins and cones to reserve spaces.

Some have even left threatening notes on car windscreens in the street, which is made up of terraced houses.

Dad-of-five Amir Ali, 40, a painter and decorator, said he and his wife face a daily battle

to find two parking spaces.

Unofficial disabled parking bays appear to have been painted on Clarence Road in Sparkhill, Birmingham. Picture: SWNS

He said: “People are getting fake parking spaces painted just to bag a space.

“I think they should take all of the disabled spaces off the road, even the real ones

because the situation has got ridiculous.

“People have cameras outside their home watching who parks outside.

“If you park there, you will get your car scratched.

“We have to go up to four roads away to find a space.”

Retired engineer Thomas Healy, 66, has lived on the road for 40 years and says the parking problem has never been so bad.

He said: “The parking is very bad and the disabled marking is making it worse.

“It is causing a lot of problems with neighbours.

“The majority of the fake ones are easy to spot. They are painted badly.

“However, some of them you wouldn’t know if they are real or not.”

Another resident, who did not want to be named, added: “I know someone who paid a firm to paint a disabled bay near their house.

“I can understand why they did it. I am sick of driving around every night when I get home for work looking for a space.

“The other night I spent an hour looking for somewhere to park and in the end I had to leave it five streets away.

“Some people on the road have four or five cars, they don’t work and the cars are always parked on the road. It’s beyond a joke.”

Highways contractor Amey have been hired to remove the fake bays.

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “Residents can apply to have disabled parking bays marked outside their homes, subject to criteria being met.

“However, these are advisory only, rather than being legally enforceable, and can also be used by other blue badge holders.

“It should also be noted that no one has a legal right to park directly outside their own property.

“We would urge anyone who believes this work is being carried out illegally by non-council contractors to report this to us so that it can be investigated and appropriate action taken.”