Contractors paint yellow lines between parked Thatcham cars

However, that’s exactly what happened in a Thatcham road last week, and one resident took these photographs to show what a “pig’s ear” contractors had made of the job.
Even West Berkshire Council called the work “unacceptable”.
The pictures were taken by Jim Finlay, of Urquhart Road, part of the Kennet Heath estate, which clearly show that the firm hired by the council to paint yellow lines did the job while many cars were already parked there.
The new parking regulations were agreed to prevent commuters parking in the estate and walking to the nearby railway station – but currently it would seem drivers can park anywhere that there is a gap in the yellow lines.
It would appear that no signs were put up warning people of the impending work.
Mr Finlay said that he did not have a problem with the new parking regulations, but that more warning should have been given.
He said: “They have made an absolute pig’s ear out of it.
“Apparently [the contractor] has three attempts at painting the lines as per the instruction and after that, if they have failed then the job is passed back to West Berkshire Council.
“I find it incredible that public money is being wasted by hiring a private company to do this job and with no planning in place.”
However, while the council accepted that painting such short lengths of lines was unsatisfactory, spokeswoman Peta Stoddart-Crompton said that the situation would not cost the taxpayers extra as the contractor was paid per metre painted, not per visit.
She said: “It is common practice for our very experienced road marking sub-contractor to complete as much of a job as possible at the first visit and then return later if parked cars prevented the work being finished.
“In Urquhart Road, they completed around 90 per cent of the work at the first attempt.
“However, to lay yellow lines between parked cars for such short lengths was clearly unacceptable and they have been informed of this.
“The work has been generally well received on the Kennet Heath resident’s website.”
Mr Finlay still questioned the council’s management of the job, saying:
“Some signs to warn commuters and residents that the line painting was to take place on Tuesday and that there would be no parking allowed on this day would have sufficed to ensure the private company could have completed the works in one attempt rather than what has been done today.
“It is surely West Berkshire [Council’s] management of this work that needs to be scrutinised and not the private company, which was working under instruction.”