Residents asked to rent out driveways to civil servants for £5 a week

Parking issues at government offices in Blackpool have led to local residents being asked to rent out their driveways to civil servants desperate to park close to work – for just £5 a week. The Department for Work and Pensions’ offices in northern Blackpool has around 1,000 parking spaces, but the offices house around 3,000 employees, making parking one of the biggest issues in the area as civil servants’ cars spill out into the streets. And Councillor Christine Wright, of Sidney Avenue, believes she and fellow local councillor Chris Ryan have come up with a novel solution which she hopes will benefit both workers and residents. She said: “We are trying to think outside the box and try a solution that appeases everybody. It’s the worst issue for Greenlands [in Blackpool centre]. Where others might have issues with houses in multiple occupation or dog muck, I have to be honest it [parking] is our worst thing really.”