A Welsh council has warned residents of a street near Aberystwyth that they could face almost a year in prison for reserving parking spaces with cones.
Ceredigion County Council reportedly sent letters telling residents of Maes yr Afon that using the cones could constitute ‘an unnecessary obstruction of the highway’.
The council's corporate director for highways, Rhodri Llwyd, wrote: ‘If a person without lawful authority or excuse in any way obstructs the free passage along a highway [they are] guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks or a fine, or both.’
Residents were warned that placing items on the public highway without permission was an offence under Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980.
Local people said the street was often ‘chock a block’ with parked cars and called for a residents’ parking permit system.
The council suggested they buy a seasonal ticket for a nearby car park.
