New Zealander paints his own parking restrictions

Mr Taylor says that his unofficial yellow lines stop people from parking on blind corners

A New Zealand activist who has unlawfully painted yellow line parking restrictions outside his house in Wellington for the last 20 years says he has done so to improve road safety and to protest against gentrification.

Russell Taylor said it was necessary to stop cars from parking dangerously in an increasingly busy street.

"It's a major contribution to road safety," he told the BBC.

The city council says the lines are illegal and will be removed.

My Taylor says he has painted the lines intermittently over the last two decades when the parking problem in his street has become especially bad.

"It's a protest against the failure of our council to take action," he said.

His personal campaign has attracted thousands of online comments since it was highlighted by local media on Monday.

'Middle class and gentrified'

Mr Taylor said that life in Holloway Road has changed dramatically since he moved there in 1979.

Mr Taylor - who says he looks like British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn - staunchly supports better road safety in his street

"Hardly anyone had cars then but now it has all changed as the area has become more middle class and gentrified.

"Cars park on blind corners, and on occasions fire lorries and rubbish collection vehicles have been unable to turn around because vehicles are parked on both sides of the road.

"More recently we have had the additional problem of drivers going far too fast down our narrow street."

The activist said the only way to combat the problem was by using a can of yellow paint stored in his garage.

The homemade yellow lines on Holloway Road in Wellington

A city council spokesman, Richard MacLean, told Stuff New Zealand that it was aware there was a parking problem in Holloway Road, and it will shortly be discussed by residents and councillors.

Mr Maclean said that among the measures the council was considering was the implementation of "no stopping" restrictions later this year.

He said it was unlikely that Mr Taylor would be punished for his long-running, unofficial road-marking campaign.

"Given the glorious and healthy history of civic activism in Holloway Road, we would rather not pick an unnecessary fight with the locals," he said.