Darwen woman fined - for parking legally

2:36pm Thursday 22nd May 2008

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By Nafeesa Shan »

A WOMAN was given a parking ticket despite being parked legally in a free car park.

Janice Parker, 46, has regularly left her car in a small free car park in Bank Bottom, Darwen, behind HSBC bank for the last seven-and-a half years but on Monday she was fined.

Ms Parker parked her Citroen C4 in a bay, near to some double yellow lines, at around 1pm and was given a ticket for parking in a restricted street during prescribed hours an hour-an-a-half later.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has said it issued the ticket because there was a confusion between the restriction on the street and the car park.

Ms Parker, a volunteer of Jubilee Tower Credit Union, of Sudell Road, Darwen, said: "I was not sure whether to laugh or cry when I was given a parking ticket for parking in a restricted street during prescribed hours' in a car park.

"This car park is free and has no length of stay restrictions.

"I was astounded when I was told that my car had been given a ticket and went to check for myself and sure enough it had.

"I really can't understand why I was given the ticket.

"I've always defended parking attendants in the past, they do an important job and are often unfairly criticised, but this time they have just taken the biscuit.

"I know that many people park illegally on the double yellow lines at the bottom of Bank Bottom, and that this is a problem as it blocks the road sometimes, but I was parked on the car park."

She added: "I believe that actions like this bring the whole parking service into disrepute.

"I had no intention of paying the Fixed Penalty Charge and have contacted the council by email to ask for it to be revoked."

Councillor Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "Having reviewed the penalty charge notice we can see how the confusion has arisen between the restriction on the street and the car park.

"We have cancelled the penalty charge notice as a gesture of goodwill and reviewed the enforcement of this area to stop any re-occurrence in the future."