People living near new Co-op Live arena 'incorrectly fined' for parking near their own houses

Dozens of residents living near Co-op Live and the Etihad have been 'incorrectly given parking tickets' creating a ‘weeks long appeals backlog’, it’s been revealed.

A new residents’ parking scheme for the Eastlands area was launched alongside the 23,500-capacity venue’s opening on Saturday (April 20), replacing an existing scheme in place for event days at the Etihad Stadium nearby.

The new programme is in place seven days a week, from midday to 11pm. It was brought in to clamp down on gig-goers and football fans causing traffic mayhem for locals by parking on residential roads.

READ MORE: Co-op Live was just days from opening, then it all went wrong

However, 159 parking tickets have been handed out over the Co-op Live opening weekend by ‘over zealous’ enforcement officers. Beswick residents have reported there’s confusion over how to book a visitors’ pass to their homes as required, meaning their guests have been ticketed.

There’s also been confusion over the operational hours of the programme, and one councillor has said they were contacted by a motorist who was fined for parking across a driveway. It was their own driveway.

That’s led to a surge in appeals to Manchester city council officers, who runs the scheme. Reportedly, this has resulted in ‘the backlog in dealing with appeals [being] weeks long’.

“We’ve only ever asked for one thing with the changes to the Eastlands parking scheme, and it’s to remember that the scheme exists to protect residents,” said Ancoats and Beswick Councillor Alan Good.

“I’m beyond disappointed at how many problems have arisen from the introduction of the scheme and that residents have been left in the dark whilst challenging incorrectly issued tickets. We’ve asked questions about how