Parking row drives Nigel round the bend after bollards installed blocking his driveway
Parking wars in a Black Country street are driving one man up the wall after he came home to find bollards blocking his new £5,000 drive.
Nigel Serrell splashed out on transforming his back garden into a driveway, to try and avoid parking rows with neighbours, only for a housing association to put up bollards blocking his access.
The salesman couldn't believe it when he returned from work to his home of 18 years on Halesowen Street in Rowley Regis, to find the posts saying 'private property' had been installed on land allowing access to his drive.
He claims his car was damaged in April last year whilst parked at the back of the properties in the street.
He went to the police who advised him to create the secure parking space in his garden. He also installed CCTV as an extra precaution.
While he himself is not a Midland Heart tenant, he says he kept in contact with them throughout his work as he was aware that they owned the surrounding properties.
They advised him that there would not be an issue because the road is not adopted.
However, a neighbour subsequently claimed she owns the land at the rear of his house leading to his new drive.
Mr Serrell made the discovery when he returned from his job in marketing and sales at a painter and decorators.
The 58-year-old said: "It was on July 31, I remember that day clearly. I drove back from work and there they were. I had no notification at all.
"They waited until I was at work and then I've seen on my camera that it was at about 10am they went and did it. They knew full well I'd be out all day.
"I didn't get back until 6pm. I just went mad. I thought 'what the hell's going on here?'"
If that wasn't enough, a dilapidated and untaxed car with a puncture has also been dumped in front of the bollards for good measure.
Mr Serrell adds that he has been in regular contact with Midland Heart, ward councillors and MP James Morris, but the housing association is not budging.
A spokesman for Midland Heart has said that they have been working locally with their customers to understand the issues, and in order to try and find a fair solution to the parking arrangements.
