Residents of Bearwood’s Wattis Road are growing increasingly frustrated as delivery vans from DPD have taken to parking overnight on their street, limiting spaces for local permit holders.
On Wattis Road, motorists can park for free during weekdays between 9am and 4pm for up to two hours. Outside these hours, parking is restricted to permit holders only. However, since the summer, several long-wheelbase DPD vans have regularly been seen arriving after 10pm and occupying spots throughout the night.
One resident expressed concern to BirminghamLive, noting that between one and four large vans often monopolize much of the available parking, making it difficult for residents to find spots near their homes. Some have had to resort to parking on neighboring streets.
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Local residents pay £46.34 annually for a parking permit, and visitor permits are available for £54.05 per year or shorter durations online. With all permits now digital, it remains unclear if the DPD drivers possess valid permits, prompting calls for increased enforcement.
A Sandwell Council spokesperson acknowledged the complaints, explaining that commercial vehicles have the same parking rights as private cars within the resident permit scheme area. They assured that enforcement officers will be regularly patrolling the street and issuing penalty notices to any vehicles parked without a valid permit.
“If our officers witness vans parked without a permit, they will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice,” the spokesperson stated. “Drivers parking without a valid permit risk enforcement action.”
Attempts to obtain comment from DPD were unsuccessful.