A pensioner has declared he would rather go to jail than remove his three plant pots after the council announced a crackdown on the ornaments.
The embattled granddad, Graham Bedward, set out the decorative display on a pavement in the village of Helmshore in Lancashire.
He exhibited the plants outside his home in a bid to stop cars mounting the kerb and blocking the walkway where he goes on walks with his grandchildren.
But the 69-year-old has now received threats of legal action from the council which brands the pots an ‘obstruction’.
Mr Bedward insists it is a ‘pathetic situation’ adding he has been forced to walk on the road due to inconsiderate parking.
He said: ‘It does not make any sense. Why would you spend so many resources asking for the plant pots to be removed?
‘It is ridiculous. Consider the money and effort spent on this pathetic situation.
‘I would rather go to jail than remove the plant pots.’
Lancashire County Council has said it is ‘aware’ of a resident placing planters on the public highway adding ‘roadside pottery is not a substitute for traffic regulation’.
Mr Bedward first installed the plant pots in response to drivers blocking access to the garden at the side of his property on Alden Road – but began receiving letters from the council in July.
He claimed although he asked for yellow lines to be installed, the council said the road did not meet the criteria.
He has been calling for an end to pavement parking for months, which prompted the floral display that features yellow tape on the pots so they are visible from a distance.
Mr Bedward said: ‘I put up a sign asking people to park considerately. I asked to meet with Lancashire County Council. I asked for the police to get involved.
‘Then somebody must have complained, and the council have come to take photos of the plant pots.’
The saga has been going on for a number of months, with some letters sent to an adjoining property and not directly to Mr Bedward himself.
The OAP added: ‘I contacted my local MP in April asking to address issues on Alden Road.
‘I had a reply on April 10 with an attachment from LCC highways, stating nothing can or will be done about it.
‘Then I got sent a letter on July 30 to the wrong address, addressed in my name from LCC, stating planters on the pavement are causing an obstruction, stating various bylaws and highways acts.
‘I was then sent another letter on August 21, addressed in my name.
‘Then two more letters were sent on September 11. This time one in my name and one in my wife’s name from the LCC legal department, stating we had one month from the date on the letter to take action to remove the offending items or they will be removed by force and a subsequent invoice sent for the removal costs.’
He said he had contacted local councillors to step in.
In the most recent letter, the couple were told by the council’s legal team: ‘I am instructed by the Head of Service for Highways that you are in control of three planters on the highway known as Alden Road, Haslingden.
‘Consequently, I enclose a notice under section 143 of the Highways Act 1980 requiring you to remove the obstruction within a month of the date of the notice.
‘If you do not comply with the requirements of this notice, the County Council will remove the planters and recover from the costs reasonably incurred in so doing.’
Mr Bedward said: ‘It is the principle. It is not just ridiculous, it is off the wall.
‘All I want to know is how much they have spent on this. Somebody has complained, so they have come along and taken the photograph. So there is a visit and then a letter. Then more letters.’
Peter Bell, highway regulation manager at Lancashire County Council, said: ‘We appreciate residents taking pride in their streets.
‘While roadside pottery may brighten the pavement, they are not a substitute for traffic regulation.
‘The council is aware of a resident placing planters on the public highway in an effort to deter parking outside their home.
‘While we understand the frustrations, members of the public have every right to park legally on the road, and obstructing the highway is not permitted.
‘The resident has been advised to remove the items, and the matter is being pursued through appropriate channels.
‘Requests for double yellow lines are considered carefully and must meet strict criteria. This location has been reviewed and does not meet those criteria.’
Read more
- Is Telford’s council ignoring a pensioner’s pleas as her garden is overtaken by an imposing hedge?
- Why did planting flowers in Sussex potholes become a viral act of defiance, and how did the council respond to this ‘vigilante’ gardening?
- Is this ‘red tape gone mad’? Great-grandmother battles housing association over beloved plant pots eviction!
- Is a compassionate plea enough to sway the council’s ruling against this devoted husband’s £5,000 parking solution?
- Why is this determined homeowner taking Stroud Council to High Court over a decade-old garden wall dispute?
