Upminster residents angry after receiving parking tickets when moving their cars for street party closures.

Residents living on the Cathedral estate in Upminster are angry after receiving parking tickets last week after moving their cars following the closure of roads for street parties.

Residents who live on the Upminster estate moved their vehicles first thing on Friday last week (June 3) to make way for road closures for jubilee celebratory parties and returned on Saturday morning to find that their cars had all been ticketed.

Gary who lives on the estate told the Havering Daily: “We had a great jubilee party and everyone in the area was encouraged to move their cars to clear space. This was great to see as it allowed the children to play games in the road. The whole street and estate got involved, bringing together a really lovely community spirit.

“Then Havering send in traffic wardens and people found that their cars had parking tickets on them which ruined everyone’s happy vibes. Some families actually received two parking tickets as they had moved both their cars.

“It is sad as our road doesn’t even have yellow lines and is rarely visited by traffic wardens, so it is as if this visit was done on purpose.”

Angry residents have emailed their local councillors to ask why this happened on a celebration weekend.

Councillor Oscar Ford ward councillor for the area told the Havering Daily: “It has been great to see so many residents enjoying street parties over the weekend for this special celebration. Such a shame that this joy for some was tempered due to receiving PCN’s issued by the Parking Enforcement service. Whilst recognising that the service has an important job to do, I do feel that more thought and flexibility might have been given to the fact that the road closures would displace some residents’ vehicles. I have written to the Council to ask that they take the special circumstances into account if they receive PCN appeals from residents in the roads affected.”

A spokesperson for Havering Council told the Havering Daily: “The council supported the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations by waiving all costs associated with closing roads for street parties and free parking in all council car parks, pay and display and shared use parking bays in the borough on both bank holiday days of 2 and 3 June.

“The Saturday and Sunday reverted to normal parking controls and enforcement took place as usual, which is consistent with other times during the year and bank holiday weekends.”