MOTORISTS in Wrexham have been clashing with delivery drivers over parking spaces near a busy fast food restaurant, a police inspector has said.
The Leader reported just over a year ago how a boom in the number of fast food delivery drivers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic had led to congestion problems in Wrexham town centre, particularly Egerton Street which runs alongside McDonald's on Regent Street.
Police in the town are calling once again for a solution, as the problem is resulting in safety issues and anti-social behaviour as motorists argue with delivery drivers over spaces.
Inspector Luke Hughes said: "We're very aware of the congestion that is outside McDonalds at the moment - it is a real concern now in terms of road safety and anti-social behaviour.
READ MORE: Congestion concern near Wrexham McDonald's after pandemic delivery boom
"We have seen people bickering and arguing about parking spaces and when I was walking past the other day, someone nearly got reversed into.
"When McDonald's was put there, it was never thought there would be a delivery service operating out of there, yet that's where we are.
"The road (Egerton Street) has just never had that use designed into it and it can't cope with it."
Wrexham's Community Beat Manager Sarah Hughes-Jones said: "Egerton Street is not fit for purpose, regarding delivery drivers.
"Predominantly, the objective of that street is for disabled people to nip into town and a loading bay for McDonald's.
"But covid has seen the delivery drivers take occupancy of that street and that's where we have had some conflict.
"Members of the public have returned to the town and said - hang on, this is our street.
"There's an area to the back of the chip shop, a courtyard, which has been blocked off because of the issue delivery drivers have created.
READ MORE: Could Wrexham roads be closed at night to protect the public?
"And there is also a piece of land between the old Thomas Cook and the Polka Dot - bollards have been put there to stop the volume of delivery drivers and that's now caused a problem on Duke Street.
"Bus drivers are having an issue when they're trying to come round the corner there.
"We have tried to do some work on this. There are people of a number of difference ethnicities doing the delivery driving, so we have tried to get some briefings out in Polish, Romanian and other languages; saying please don't park on Egerton Street and please have respect for other road users.
"But the drivers just tell us they have a job to do."
A Just Eat spokesman said: "At Just Eat, we expect all couriers delivering on our behalf to act respectfully and responsibly at all times.
"We have issued guidance to couriers in this area and we engage with all couriers on our network regularly around topics including road safety and parking. We are happy to work together with the relevant authorities to help resolve this issue."
A McDonald's spokesman said: “McDonald’s is committed to being a good neighbour in the local community. We have escalated the issues raised by the police with our delivery partners and they have informed us that they will look into this as a matter of urgency."
Wrexham Council has confirmed it is to meet Insp Hughes to discuss the concerns.
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