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Brighton & Hove window cleaning permit changes.

Rob Binnie

New member
Messages
10
Location
Brighton
Hi all, thought I would post some important information I learned today for my fellow Brighton & Hove window cleaners regarding changes to the window cleaning permit.

Basically, as of the beginning of this October the council is no longer giving out the free window cleaner permit, something I believe we received due to an old byelaw? I do not believe they have they contacted any of the registered window cleaners to notify them of this change, or to allow our opinions on the change to be heard.

When our permits expire we now have to apply for an orange a Parking Dispensation permit. It costs £40 for a year. The information on the council website is a bit vague and contradicts itself a few times, but basically it seems the new permit only allows you to park on yellow lines for up to 20 minutes and up to 60 minutes in permit and loading bays.

The parking in Brighton is very limited and I'm assuming like me, you have to park on the yellow lines for a lot of work in the city centre, I know with my more condensed residential work in the North Laine area there's no way I can do all of the jobs in one street in 20 minuets, and if I'm lucky enough to get a permit bay ??, I still can't do the bigger jobs (office blocks/hotels) in 60 minuets ??. The trad guys that park in town and go off for the day will be screwed as well!

No idea what the answer is, or why the council has made this change (I'm guessing money) so have emailed my local MP to ask for help with this. I don't mind paying £40 for a permit, but it needs to let us park sensibly on the yellow lines for as long as we need to complete the work. The £700 (for standard emissions) traders permit is no good either, as usually there are no permit spaces and you can't park on yellow lines. With this change it's going to be a case of having many parking tickets, or dropping any jobs that take longer than 20 minuets per road ??.

I already watched two traffic wardens noting my number plate today whilst I had my hose out and was working! I have a valid window cleaning permit and clearly a window cleaning van, so have also asked my MP to clarify if the new rules apply to existing window cleaning permits as I believe all info regarding where and how we can park with the window cleaning permit has disappeared from the council's website.

Be interested to hear your views on this change and maybe if some other window cleaners contact their local MPs we can get these new rules reversed, or at least changed so we can do our work without watching for traffic wardens?

Cheers,

Rob.

 
It's interesting that you have a scheme that allows you to park on yellows for 20mins. While that's not perfect, what are the rules on how far you have to move to reset the clock?

Where I used to live the made it a residents only parking area with yellow on opposite side of road with the double yellows across curb indicating no loading or unloading. When I asked how our windy was supposed to clean the windows I was told he would not be allowed to park there. I explained the need for wfp as the building was a Victorian 3 story and was told 'not our problem'!! No point complaining to council as Councillor lived in next street which also had a residents only scheme applied!!!! Just those 2 roads, both in designated tourist area, no parking or unloading of luggage for visitors!!!!! I wonder why it was residents only - nothing to do with Councillor moving to the next street.

Anyway hope you can find a way to work. Maybe in your letter to Council remind them that H&S recommend not working from a ladder if alternative method is available. WFP is the alternative method, so without your van the Council are forcing you to break H&S rules to work!!!!

Good Luck 

 
Down hear you can apply to the council highways   department for a permit to park  on double yellows for as long as you want each application costs around £25 I looked into getting it for a large hotel that we do in st ives only parking is on double yellows , but thought I would take a chance been doing the hotel now for 7 years and never had a ticket just explained to the traffic warden what we were doing he said no problem carry on . 

 
£40 for a year is cheap! In Canterbury they used to charge £20 a week, £40 a month or £110 a year. Amazing how different areas are in the way they support locals isn't it.

I just hope they see sense though and give you longer working times. It seems absurd to crucify local business but councils don't think of it that way, they just see it as revenue to be extracted.

 
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£40 a year ? up here in Edinburgh it is £1300 a year for a trade permit.

Private company that patrol the streets and pay the Council for the pleasure then have to make a profit off the fines.

My dog had a dump in the gutter the other day and I never noticed the yellow line...

He got a ticket.

 
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