11 Aug 2025
The saga of Harpenden’s unpopular on-street parking charges took another turn this weekend, with council contractors installing flawed signs featuring a host of errors.
Fortunately the mistakes were spotted by the SADC workmen, who removed them and replaced the originals in their stead.
According to eye-witnesses, the hours given for the restrictions said the chargeable hours are 8.30am-6.30pm when they should be 9am-6pm.
SADC strategic director for community and place delivery Chris Traill said: “New signs for on-street car parking bays are being installed in Harpenden and St Albans following an improvement to the PayByPhone app.
“Users will be able to input one code on their mobile phone instead of two to obtain both the free half-hour parking and to pay for additional time. The new signs highlight this change.
“PayByPhone adapted its software to one code in response to a request from the council as we became aware some residents found the two code system confusing.
“The one code system is now operational in St Albans but there will now be a slight delay before it comes into force in Harpenden.
“This is because the new signs for Harpenden were printed with incorrect information about the hours that restrictions apply.
“A few signs were installed on Sunday when the error was spotted and they were immediately taken down.
“New signs with the correct information are being printed and we hope to install them soon.
“In the meantime, customers in Harpenden should continue using the two code system.
“We apologise for any confusion and hope to have the one-code system up and running in Harpenden, with appropriate signs installed, very soon.”
It’s not the first error made in relation to the parking scheme. In February bungling contractors installed new parking meters on land belonging to the town council – which has been outspoken in opposition to the scheme.
Two of the machines, including one on the concourse outside Boots in the High Street, were apparently placed on HTC land in error. They were eventually removed and placed on highways land, which was where they should have been originally sited.
Campaigning Conservative Nigel Gardner, who fought against the planned charges at the last General Election, said: “If they don’t even have the competence to put up the right signs, how can the people of Harpenden have any faith in the council’s new parking charges.
“Harpenden’s independent retailers have been saying for months the council has got it wrong and is using flawed data and analysis, and that the policy is economic and financial nonsense.
“These are people’s livelihoods they are playing with. It’s time heads roll at the council – these people are not up to the job.”
