I suspect I may be in a minority, but I am one of those who can not wait to see the first traffic warden striding through Rye to ticket motorists - given my experiences this Thursday, market day.
On four occasions I was forced into the road because of motorists parked on the pavement and preventing me getting through.
"Oh surely you could wriggle through" comes the cry, but I am not an athletic teenager.
I am getting on for 80, with severe breathing problems, and (it being market day) I had a fully loaded shopping trolley which presented more than enough problems simply lifting it up to the pavement from the road level.
And, surely, as cars seem to get bigger and bigger, a ban (or limitation) must be placed soon on vehicles turning right from the High Street into Market Road.
When there is parking outside the shop opposite the junction, cars end up with their wheels on the pavement on both sides of the junction as they attempt to turn and (thankfully) many, fearing their bonnet may end up inside the jewellers, carry on down down The Mint to the to the delights of the multi-direction junction at the bottom of Mermaid Street.
However the offenders include vans as well, with the usual hazards in Lion Street with vans delivering to The George (and I thought there was a special marked delivery bay in the High Street !)
Peering round the front of the van to see if it was safe to cross and use the pavement opposite I nearly got hit - but did eventually arrive safe at St Mary's. On my return journey though the same delivery van moved on to the pavement opposite The George (and its delivery bay) and I was again forced into the road.
The County Council will have to consult on its plans for parking enforcement (ie wardens) before they go for Parliamentary approval and I suggest everyone looks at them very closely.
I am not sure the town's Highways Forum or the Town Council were consulted that much about the parking plans put to the county council by Rother District Council - though I think RDC minutes may have mentioned a proposed loading bay near the (now closed) warehouse club by the level crossing - and the devil may be in the detail.
And certainly the right turn into Market Road may need attention - and possibly it should even be closed to some vehicles.
In the meantime shopping can be dangerous
