A father was left furious when a stranger decided to park their car on his driveway before jetting off on holiday for several days.
Dad-of-two Zekarias Haile lives in Wythenshawe, near to Manchester Airport and claimed he had to wait four days for the car owner to come back to collect his vehicle.
He said the rogue vehicle had been left by holidaymakers who were flying from the airport, where parking is very expensive.
Zekarias, 51, was furious because the car was restricting the family’s access to the garden and bins.
The homeowner, who is a lecturer in Engineering at Wakefield College told the Manchester Evening News: “I just went out and it was there.
“Then it was there Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. On Monday morning when we woke up it was gone.”
When he called police they informed him that the matter was not a criminal offence because Zekarias’ car wasn’t being blocked in. He had been forced to park it on the street because of the rogue vehicle, but this meant the police’s hands were tied.
A number of residents in the area and holidaymakers themselves have faced issues in recent years due to the parking situation at Manchester Airport.
The cost of parking there is often expensive, leading flyers to look for cheaper shortcuts in the surrounding area.
This has prompted some in the area to rent out their driveways, whilst a 2016 investigation from the Manchester Evening News looked into dodgy parking firms arranging to leave holidaymakers’ vehicles in fields and pub car parks.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed the matter was not a criminal offence, but that the homeowners could approach the council and take civil action.
A spokesperson for Manchester Airport told MEN about the parking situation: “As well as our own wide range of products, there are many reputable operators that serve Manchester Airport.
“We categorically do not condone the practices of rogue operators, including those that falsely imply customers’ cars will be parked in secure locations and whose activities blight surrounding communities.
“We have worked closely with council trading standards teams and Greater Manchester Police over many years to combat this, and speak regularly with local councillors and residents about their concerns.
“As passenger numbers continue to increase in the wake of the pandemic we will maintain our position on this, working closely with Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Police.”
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