A homeowner stood baffled as he watched a contractor paint a ‘keep clear sign’ on the road outside his own house which stopped being a school 18 years ago.
Greg Smith, 56, has lived in the building in Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, for eight years and has always parked his car there.
Earlier this month, he was furious when he spotted a contractor for North Yorkshire County Council painting the sign outside his home, even though the property had not operated as a school for nearly two decades.
The couple have now been forced to park their car further away from their home over fears of being fined.
Mr Smith said: ‘The sign is right outside our house. It is where my wife usually parks our car and where our neighbours park their cars.
‘It is a pretty well used parking area, and it is actually quite a coincidence that no cars were there the day the contractor came, otherwise it would have been pretty hard to paint the sign.
‘My understanding is if you park on a “school keep clear” sign you could get a fine, a traffic warden could hand it out.
‘So, since it has been done, we have been parking elsewhere – a bit of a walk from our house. It would be just our luck to get a ticket.’
Mr Smith explained the village primary school moved in 2003, and the old site was later converted into a residential house by a local builder.
The old school warning signs on the road were painted over around the time the house was converted.
Despite his protests, the new sign was still painted on the road.
Since he and his wife moved into the property known as the ‘Old School’ they say they have never had any issues until this month.
Mr Smith said he rang the council immediately after, and numerous times since, but claims he still has not heard back from then.
North Yorkshire County Council’s area manager Melisa Burnham confirmed that the lines and markings are a ‘genuine mistake’ and they will be removed as soon as possible.
She added that there will be no prosecutions for people parking on the markings in the meantime.
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