THE STAR SAYS: No Direction over fined music lovers

One of several cars with a fixed penalty notice parked on the pavement between Valley Centretainment and Meadowhall Retail Park during a One Direction gig at Sheffield Arena.

Our story on page 5 is again about suspect parking and it gets many people in Sheffield revved up.

Although there is no guarantee all of the 106 fine recipients were One Direction gig-goers, it was certainly the case that the multi-platinum award winning band’s gig added to the parking problems.

But this latest incident is just the tip of the iceberg.

Many of our readers have sent in dozens of pictures which show some really dozy drivers.

From double parking and flouting yellow lines to obstructing bus stops and mounting the pavements outside schools, it’s evident from our letters pages that dopey drivers really get city residents’ blood boiling.

The Star have been inundated with tales of dodgy parking with many of these turning up as stories in the paper and online.

And this latest incident will only add fuel to the debate.

Some will argue that the council are lining their own pockets, taking advantage of the lack of parking space around Sheffield Arena.

On the flip side, people could leave the car at home.

With the tram pulling right outside the arena, save yourself the petrol, do your bit for the environment and avoid clogging the pavements - they are meant for walking on after all.

Many might read this and think ‘what a load of cobblers’ but the very issue of pavement parking is being debating in our democratic chambers right now.

Yesterday, MPs debated the Pavement Parking Bill for its second reading.

If made into law, it will become illegal to park on pavements.

Not only does poor parking infuriate locals, it can also be a huge problem for parents with prams, wheelchair users, waste collection workers and emergency service vehicles.

It may sound extreme but South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue have previously said that cars on pavements can stop firefighters doing their jobs.

How mortifying would it be having to move your car so that firefighters can carry out life saving duties?

This latest incident comes as new research released by the charity Guide Dogs, identifies that 75 per cent of people in Sheffield would support a new law to tackle the problem of pavement parking.

The charity are backing the bill and I’m sure that many people across the city will feel the same way.