Locals tell of parking nightmare on Birmingham road - as two cars double parked behind us

It's among Birmingham's busiest roads - but can be a nightmare for anyone trying to park instead of pass through. Traders unable to stop outside their own premises instead block residential streets, only adding to the congestion.

I am on Dudley Road to see the problems for myself - and as I chat to passersby about the problem, I watch on as two cars double park right behind me.

There are also tight side roads where some houses run numerous cars. Shopkeepers unable to park outside their businesses will flood side roads such as Cavendish Road and Algernon Road - angering homeowners who, in turn, struggle to park.

READ MORE: Alcoholic shares harrowing 12 hours that made him reach out for help

Brumwish 2024 - buy a gift for a child in need

BrumWish 2024 is Birmingham Live's festive drive to get thousands of gifts to children and young people across our city - among them the homeless, the vulnerable, kids in care, kids who are poorly or struggling, and kids who have little.

There are THREE simple ways to help.

1. Buy a new gift from the Brumwish 2024 Amazon giftlist. In just a click your donation will be whizzing its way to our volunteers at Edgbaston Stadium.
2. Donate money to the appeal fund hosted by Thrive Together Birmingham - this will help pay for gifts for kids with specialist needs or specific wishes.
3. Buy a gift and, even better, rope in friends, neighbours and workmates to do the same, then drop off your pressies at Edgbaston Stadium, Edgbaston Road, B5 7QU on Friday 6th December, 10am - 3pm; Saturday 7th December, 10am - 1pm; or Monday 9th December, 10am - 1pm. Volunteers will be there to help you. Please don't wrap your gifts. You can also drop off by arrangement until Monday 16th December - contact Louise on 07469 979286.

Thanks to our partnership with #Toys4Birmingham, every single gift will find a good home in the loving care of a child living in B&Bs or hotels, hostels or refuges, children receiving support from specialist organisations and charities, and families being supported by children's centres and charities around the city.

Making up the Brumwish and Toys4Birmingham gang are Thrive Together Birmingham, Birmingham Playcare Network, Warwickshire Cricket Foundation (the charitable arm of Warwickshire County Cricket Club), Birmingham Forward Steps and BirminghamLive/Birmingham Mail.

Thank you to Amazon UK and the amazing team at the Sutton Coldfield depot for their support.

I visited on a cold afternoon and strolled down Algernon Road, struck by how cars were already double parked on the tight, hilly stretch. Bins blocked disabled parking spaces like a double barrier to selfish drivers and bright orange cones were dotted around like chess pieces.

Ali Ashraf, 75, who has lived on the road since the 80s, said: "We have someone living here in a wheelchair and there is bad parking and double parking because the street is so small.

"Ever since the new hospital opened it became a bad situation. Shopkeepers park here and we reported it to Trading Standards asking if a car park could be built for them.

"We also reported this to the council, police also come and ticket cars double parking. Who wants to go to their car far away at 6am to drop their kids off at school?

"It is really bad and the new hospital is just making things worse."

As if to prove his point, two cars double park behind us as he complains about it. Mariam Bibi, 43, another resident, said: "It is bad because of the shopkeepers, I only have one car but I mostly park on side roads.

"There are normally three cars per house and sometimes binmen cannot collect our bins because double parked cars block the road. I have to pick up my kids but a double parked car will block me so I have to knock on doors to find the driver.

"Sometimes the council will send someone here."

But many residents understand some drivers double park because they have no choice, they have nowhere to park or just want to stop somewhere to unload groceries. Buses, ambulances and every other kind of vehicle roared down Dudley Road as I made my way to the shopkeepers.

Mariam, 28, a staff member at Mr Khan's Authentic Jamaican Food Store, said: "Parking is ridiculous and at night you have to swerve through ten cars like it's Tetris to get home. There is always double parking and one house will have five cars.

"Some people think they own the road and park vans on pavements, despite shopkeepers arguing with them. We cannot park outside our business and have to go all the way down."

Owner, Danny Khan, said: "I have lived here for more than 30 years and it is not good. When customers have to park on side roads near Moilliet Street Park where there is rubbish and rats, what do you say?

"Why would a customer come to our shop after driving around for ages to find a space? They give up and leave. I have to drive around three times at 8am to find somewhere to park."

Coun Majid Mahmood said: "We recognise that illegal and anti-social parking can have a significant negative impact on an area, creating a barrier for people walking and cycling and potentially excluding disabled people from accessing local amenities. Through the Birmingham Transport Plan, we aim to reduce car dependency and ensure that people can choose to walk and cycle for local trips and use public transport for longer journeys.

"As part of a broader, area-wide consideration of the best options to enable people to drastically reduce car use, a case could be made for provision of new off-street parking, particularly where this allows space currently occupied by on-street parking to be repurposed for other uses, such as active travel infrastructure or community space.

"While this area is a high priority for investment through the Birmingham Transport Plan, we do not currently have a planned date for work on such a Neighbourhood Major Scheme to commence development.

"Targeted enforcement by the council and police is key to tackling the blight of poor parking and we will continue to deploy civil enforcement officers to Dudley Road and the surrounding area and to issue penalty charge notices to vehicles parked in contravention of the parking restrictions in place.

"Members of the public can also submit evidence of illegally-parked vehicles to West Midlands Police as part of their Operation Snap."