JEP Opinion: Get tough on pizza parking

The need for more private spaces, the lack of general availability and the myriad of payment options all add up to a confusing and frustrating experience for the driver.

But the problems currently being experienced in St Saviour’s Road, outside a new pizza takeaway restaurant, have taken things to a new level.

While most takeaways do a sizeable amount of trade through home deliveries, many customers at Domino’s are choosing to order and collect the food themselves, meaning customers’ cars are blocking pavements and stopping on double yellow lines as they park to collect their orders.

As with all new things in the Island, the novelty of a new pizza restaurant will eventually wear off and return to some kind of normality in the not
too distant future. And, as the company’s delivery network settles down
and spreads out, the problem will be eased further.

But until then, something needs to be done in order to avoid an accident, particularly if pedestrians are
being forced into the road on these dark evenings.

Yes, the restaurant managers have a role to play in making sure their popular social media sites, advertisements and flyers remind their customers about the need to park sensibly.

However, it would be unfair to lay the blame solely at their door. As far as
the restaurant chain goes, they have made all the necessary applications and been given permission to do what they are doing.

Parish officials have reported that they are receiving ‘frequent’ complaints about traffic problems in the area but are yet to issue a single parking ticket. Perhaps a ‘get-tough’ approach during the next few weeks may be enough to educate those using the food outlet that stopping in the middle of the road or blocking the pavements is simply not acceptable and will not be tolerated any longer.

Domino’s parking problems causing complaints: Click here