Parking issues return to Cambridge street after DIY yellow lines painted out

The parking problem has returned to a Cambridge residential area following the painting-out of the DIY yellow lines on the Meadowlands/The Homings bend earlier this month.

The fake yellow lines appeared earlier this year, following two years of appeals from residents to get the double yellow lines put in.

A spokesperson for Marshall, whose Newmarket Road site is nearby, said: “There is ample parking for Marshall colleagues within our site, and we make it clear to colleagues that they should not park in nearby side streets, in addition to posting regular reminders about the need to be considerate of our neighbours on our company intranet and digital hangar screens.”

Local resident Cherrill Richardson claimed that it was “the Volvo and Jaguar/Land Rover engineers and office staff that were parking inconsiderately before our fake lines” - though it is not clear who is behind the renewed spate of anti-social parking.

She added: “Once I walked up to the dealership and informed his manager so he came and moved it. The dealership obviously does not have a Name and Shame policy. Previously on several occasions I have telephoned parking control about cars parked over our dropped kerbs. Although we were told a traffic warden would patrol this area, one has never been seen other than when we telephone to complain and then they do not always bother to come out this far.”

In October 2022, Constellation Automotive Group (CAG) purchased Marshall Motor Group for £325million, taking a majority shareholding from the Marshall family and removing the company from the stock market.

A spokesperson for Marshall Volvo - which is owned by Constellation - said: “Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are addressing this with our staff to ensure they are respectful to residents when parking locally.”

The saga could drag on until September, when the Highways and Transport Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council will consider a LHI ( local highway improvement) application.

City councillor Naomi Bennett (Green, Abbey) said: “A valid application was prepared by Alex [Cllr Bulat] and submitted with support of all ward councillors.”

A Cambridgeshire County Council said: “I am happy to reconfirm that the Meadowlands / The Homing LHI application will be considered at the September meeting of the Highways and Transport Committee.

“We cannot predetermine the decision that will be made by the committee.”