FUMING locals claim they have been fined for parking on their own driveways and say that their area is “murder” on match days due to football fans.
Disgruntled residents living in the shadow of the Co-op Live arena and the Etihad Stadium in Manchester have vented their frustrations over the “chaos”.
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The 23,500-capacity Co-op Live opened its doors for the first time on Saturday and the £365m venue is the biggest indoor arena in the UK.
But the new concert arena has led to dozens of locals “incorrectly” being handed parking tickets.
A new residents’ parking scheme has replaced an existing scheme for match and event days at the Etihad Stadium.
It is in place seven days a week, from midday to 11pm.
The new scheme was brought in to prevent gig-goers and football fans from causing traffic chaos for locals by parking on residential roads.
But 159 parking tickets were issued over the Co-op Live’s opening weekend by traffic enforcement officers leading to a “weeks-long” appeals backlog.
Residents in the Beswick area of the city say that far from solving traffic issues, the new scheme has simply cause more parking problems.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Brian Fisher said: “It’s going to be murder with the new arena.
“The parking is bad enough now with the football.
“We get people parking everywhere.”
The 70-year-old said he previous parking scheme had been simpler and many people didn’t understand how the new scheme worked.
Many concert-goers wouldn’t be bothered about risking parking ticket, he added.
Locals claim there’s confusion about operating hours and how to book a visitor’s parking pass, meaning friends and family getting tickets.
One councillor was contacted by a resident who was fined for parking across their own driveway.
Stephen Bailey, 52, said locals were now reluctant to leave their car spaces at weekends.
He said: “You can’t move your car because if you go to the shops or somewhere and come back your parking space has gone and there’s nowhere else to park.
“There’s not many parking spaces here.”
He said he’d witnessed weekend visitors “throwing away” parking tickets they’d been handed.
‘HORRENDOUS’
Deborah Keating, 62, said parking on event and match days was “absolutely horrendous”.
“You’ve got to plan your life around match days and now that’s opened as well.”
“So it’s just going to get worse.”
She doubted if more ticketing was going to solve the parking issues and the situation was so bad her family had decided to move.
Deborah added: “We’ve had enough now, it’s got so shocking.
“It used to be a nice area but the place has just come so down.
“And with this opening it’s going to get 100 times worse.”
Councillor Alan Good said that it was was important to remember the new parking scheme was designed to protect residents.
“Residents must come first and I’ll always fight for that.”
Councillor Alan Good
He said: “I’m beyond disappointed at how many problems have arisen from the introduction of the scheme and that residents have been left in the dark whilst challenging incorrectly issued tickets.
“We’ve asked questions about how the parking wardens have been trained and I’ve asked council managers for a plan on how they’re going to get on top of the situation.
“Residents must come first and I’ll always fight for that.”
Manchester City Council said that any resident incorrectly issued with parking ticket can get it cancelled straight away.
They added that if an appeal is made, “the clock stops” on the 14-day half-price early payment for those correctly ticketed.
A spokesperson saId: “Through the Eastlands RPZ the council has worked to ensure that residents living in close proximity to the Co-op Live Arena and the Etihad will be able to park close to their home, whilst preventing out of area motorists creating logjams in the area during event nights.”
They added that residents had been provided with information on how to apply for free permits and how to apply for visitor and carer passes.
Co-op Live has been built by City Football Group, owned by billionaire UAE royal and deputy prime minister Sheikh Mansour together with Oakview Music Group, co-founded by US music mogul Irving Azoff.
Read more on the Irish Sun
Harry Styles is an investor and advised on elements of the arena’s design.
Following Saturday’s test gig – featuring Rick Astley – the venue was forced to postpone shows by comedian Peter Kay this week because it’s not ready.
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