Residents of a quiet Bearwood street are expressing major frustration after their neighbourhood was reportedly taken over by DPD delivery vans overnight, leaving those who pay for permits struggling to find a space outside their own homes.
Permit Holders Priced Out of Their Own Street
The issue is centred on Wattis Road, where motorists can typically park for free on weekdays between 9am and 4pm for a two-hour period. Outside of these hours, however, parking is restricted to permit holders only.
One fed-up resident explained that the problem began in the summer, with multiple long-wheelbase DPD vans pulling up after 10pm and parking overnight. He reported seeing between one and four of the large vehicles, which take up a significant amount of room.
"Some residents can’t park in their own street due to these vans and have to park in other roads," he told BirminghamLive. This is despite residents paying £46.34 for a 12-month permit, with a second visitor permit costing £54.05.
Council Response and Enforcement Action
With all permits now being digital, it is unclear whether the DPD drivers have purchased the required permits. This ambiguity has led some residents to call for Sandwell Council's parking wardens to increase patrols in the area to carry out checks.
In response to the complaints, a spokesperson for Sandwell Council acknowledged the residents' frustration. The council clarified that while commercial vehicles have the same rights to park on the highway as private vehicles, they are not exempt from the resident permit scheme in force on Wattis Road.
"If our officers attend the location and witness the vans parked without a permit, then they will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice," the spokesperson stated. They confirmed that the enforcement team would be patrolling the street regularly to enforce the permit rules.
BirminghamLive approached DPD for a comment on the situation, but the parcel delivery giant did not provide a response.
