Hertingfordbury Parish News: February 2004
Car Parking on Greens and Crossings
Many parishioners will be aware that recently both Letty Green and Cole Green have suffered from Travellers taking up temporary residence on the Greens. This has resulted in great efforts by the Parish Council to evict the Travellers, and we have been successful to date in their temporary stay of residence being limited.
One of the reasons the Police are prepared to act on our behalf, is that as Trustees of the Green, the Parish Council can prove they are in 'Private' ownership and registered as Village Greens from 3rd October 1975 to Hertingfordbury Parish Council. Thus the Greens are not common land as many people consider, including the Travellers. This registration, however, does not allow the parking of vehicles on the Greens or the crossings in use by many residents to gain access to their properties. In fact, under the various Acts relating to the Greens, it is a criminal offence to park a vehicle on the Green or on a crossing. Notices to this effect are displayed on all Greens.
This fact has assisted us and the Police in clearing the Travellers from the Greens, but our case is undermined by residents who occasionally and some who persistently park on crossings, and indeed on the Greens themselves. Whilst this parking of vehicles may be through ignorance of the status of the Greens, the Police have urged us to make all parishioners aware of the legal standing and to suggest in future that no vehicles should be parked on the Greens or the crossings.
To keep the Greens open, and the rural delight we have all come to enjoy, please heed this advice and help us to help all of the parishioners maintain a rural landscape, rather than spoiling the areas with parked cars. It will also assist in the future eviction of any Travellers.
L Faircloth, Clerk to the Parish Council
Please note: Although the Hertingfordbury Parish News is produced by St. Mary's PCC, the opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the PCC.