Residents call for end to fair parking 'nightmare'

Hull City Council wants people to use park-and-ride services when they travel to the fair

Visitors to Hull Fair are being urged to use a park-and-ride service to avoid clogging up nearby streets.

The annual event, which opens later, is expected to attract more than 600,000 people over the course of eight days.

But residents living near the Walton Street fairground have described parking in previous years as a "nightmare".

Max Toll, 38, said sometimes he had "to go four or five streets away" from his home to get parked.

He is urging fairgoers to use public transport wherever possible.

Another resident, who lives on Spring Bank West but asked not to be named, said drivers simply ignored parking restriction signs.

"It’s havoc," he added. "You’re meant to have a permit to park there [but] people are parking without permits.”

Hull City Council is putting extra parking restrictions in place in streets surrounding the fairground.

• Full list of Hull Fair parking rules and bus times

In previous years, the authority has had to respond to motorists parking on double-yellow lines, grass verges and the central reservation of the Spring Bank West dual-carriageway.

Michelle Kidd, the council's lead officer for the fair, warned drivers not to risk being fined.

"It's an extremely busy event and we do have lots and lots of vehicles travelling to the fair," she said.

"Familiarise yourself with the parking restrictions – don't be getting a ticket."

The event is one of the largest travelling fairs in Europe

Ms Kidd encouraged people to use shuttle buses between Paragon Interchange and the fair, as well as park-and-ride services from Priory Park, Hessle, and the Humber Bridge car park, off Ferriby Road.

Limited spaces will be available in the official Hull Fair car park at the MKM Stadium.

The fair is due to open at 16:00. It will run on Saturday and from Monday until 12 October.

It will be closed on Sunday in line with tradition.

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