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A dad is worried he and his children won’t be able to visit their family on Christmas Day after he received a parking ticket outside his parents’ house in Anfield.
Michael McDonald said he was stunned to find a yellow packet sitting on his windscreen when he called in to his mother and father on Thurston Road last week.
Mr McDonald, 51, called on Liverpool Council to think again about its approach to residents’ parking around the stadium when it is not in use. The father, who has since moved to Southport but grew up half a mile away from the Reds’ home, said the restrictions may now limit when he and his family can call in on elderly relatives.
Michael McDonald with his familyplaceholder image
Michael McDonald with his family | LDRS
Liverpool Council said the scheme is well-signed around the area and is “essential” to ensure residents can access parking outside their homes. Mr McDonald told the LDRS of his shock when he left his parents’ home.
He said: “I’m fuming over it to be quite honest. My mum is 75 now, she’s recovering from cancer and my dad has dementia, he’s really not well at all.
“We’ve lived in Anfield all our lives and we understand the need for the matchday restrictions. Our lives have revolved around it and they are needed when the match is on.
“It was 1.55pm when I came out and the street was empty. I saw there was a ticket on my car and it’s the first time it’s ever happened.
“Me, my brother and my sister have been going back there to visit my mum and dad for years every other weekend when there’s no match on. We’ve never had an issue on a non-matchday before.
“I thought ‘what’s this for?’ and then when I rang the council they told me it’s being enforced seven days a week now. It’s galling right on the doorstep of Christmas.
“We can’t drive up there on any day now for the grandkids to visit. It’s not for the residents’ benefit, all it does is stop people visiting their family now.”
Mr McDonald said he had appealed the £35 ticket he received but was rejected. He added how the visits to his parents have proven vital for their family.
He said: “The only respite my mum gets is when we go and visit. She’s upset over this.
“We can’t go up on Christmas Day now because they live near a stadium that’s not in use. It’s penalising residents, if there’s no match on, Anfield should be treated the same as Croxteth or anywhere else in the city.”
Kevin Robinson-Hale and John Doyleplaceholder image
Kevin Robinson-Hale and John Doyle | LDRS
Issues continue to plague areas around Everton’s new stadium. Households on Bevington Street have expressed their frustration at restrictions also being put in place on non-matchdays.
John Doyle has lived in the area for decades and attended engagement sessions held by the city council ahead of the scheme being adopted. He said: “They haven’t listened to us at all.
“They only come round when Everton are at home and it feels like they’ve just done the easy thing. We’ve had four meetings and they didn’t listen once.
“They have not improved my situation as I am still subjected to parking restrictions from 10am to midnight 365 days a year.” Kevin Robinson-Hale has campaigned in Everton West for years and echoed the sentiment.
He added: “Nobody wants it, people are infuriated by this.” Addressing the issues around Anfield, a Liverpool Council spokesperson said: “The parking restrictions in the Anfield area are in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week and there is signage in place outlining the restrictions.
“These measures are essential to ensure that residents have access to parking near their homes, maintain road safety, and allow clear routes for emergency and service vehicles. Each household can apply for a permit for every vehicle registered to a valid address in the zone, along with one visitor permit.
“Parking enforcement plays a vital role in upholding the scheme – without consistent enforcement it would not be effective and residents would face significant challenges with congestion and accessibility. To strengthen compliance and respond to the growing number of enforcement requests, we have recently taken on additional Civil Enforcement Officers.”
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