Sheffield parking: Shop owner says parking tickets for unloading are 'killing' business
The owner of a Sheffield city centre shop has said parking tickets for unloading are “killing us” and could drive them out.
Ian Proctor, of Mesters’ Market in the city council’s flagship Leah’s Yard retail project, said 14 people had received a ticket while delivering to the business in eight months - and two were refusing to return.
In a LinkedIn post he said: “Apparently people unloading only have three minutes, it’s a 30 second walk each way and often they have to make multiple trips.
“This is absolutely killing us, two businesses will no longer deliver to our premises. No solution to this will drive us out.”
But a Sheffield City Council spokesperson insisted there was no three-minute limit and people “have as long as they need” - provided a traffic warden sees activity.
Scores of people responded to the post, the vast majority in support of Mr Proctor.
Ian Whittaker said: “And they wonder why city centres have been dying…”
Paul Heath said: “Just put £2.50 in the meter for 15 minutes like they want you to! Daylight robbery to try and access the city these days!”
Tim Nye, of Marmaduke's Cafe on Cambridge Street, said: “This is bad for the city. My biggest grievance is that there are no police around to deal with crime, but plenty of people to dish out tickets.”
Paul Taylor, of Taylor Taylor Barbers on Surrey Street, said a supplier to a florist on his street received a ticket in the time it took to carry flowers to the basement.
He added: “A lot of smart clients who have visited our Surrey Street barber shop now go to our Dronfield shop, this is hard evidence that something needs to change with parking! Why don’t Sheffield Council get John Lewis car park open?”
But Dr Finn Majlergaard was unsympathetic: “Oh poor you. If your customers/suppliers are so afraid of a little walk then maybe you should move your business to an industrial zone in the suburbs.”
Alexander Benkstein suggested a different approach: “How about using a cargo bike for deliveries?”
A Sheffield City Council spokesperson insisted there was no three-minute limit for loading or unloading and people “have as long as they need.”
If an enforcement officer sees a vehicle in a loading bay they will watch for three minutes and if they don’t see activity they may issue a penalty charge notice.
Drivers can appeal and provide evidence of their delivery to support the cancellation of the PCN, they added.
Last month, The Star revealed Sheffield City Council raised £45m from motorists in a two-year period.
The authority made £13.3m from fees and fines in the first two years of the Clean Air Zone, which launched in February 2023.
It earned £25.3m from parking fees and fines in the two years to the end of March.
And it raised £6.4m from bus gates and bus lane fines in the two years to the end of March last year, the most recent figures available.