A COMMUNITY leader has hit out at "over zealous" parking wardens after he received three tickets in a month.

Lord Adam Patel, a founder member of Black-burn with Darwen Racial Equality Council, who was caught out twice in two days, has vowed to camp-aign for a change in the system, which he labelled "back-door taxation."

He spoke out after a stream of complaints about Blackburn with Darwen Council's ticketing policy prompted the Chamber of Trade to call for talks to resolve the situation.

President David Cottam said: "Whether it be Lord Patel, or any other person, shoppers should be made to feel welcome in the town. Traffic wardens need to use common sense."

But council chiefs said it was up to motorists to abide by the law and defended parking wardens for doing a 'fair' and 'responsible' job.

Mr Patel's Mercedes was slapped with a £30 fine when he parked in Church Street, Blackburn, three weeks ago.

He had been to the bank "for a matter of minutes" but was stunned to find he had been given a ticket.

The next day he parked on the same car park and returned to find another ticket for parking incorrectly.

A week later his vehicle was clamped in London and he was fined £100 after as his permit became obscured.

Lord Patel, who lives in Langho, said: "I paid the fines but I find the whole system wrong."

Last year in Blackburn with Darwen £608,000 was collected in fines on 20,000 parking tickets, but the cost of running the 20-strong warden team was £649,000.

Lord Patel added: "Parking wardens are too keen to dish out tickets. It's another way of taxation and it's wrong."

Council leader Colin Rigby said: "I don't think parking wardens are over zealous. I got a parking ticket a couple of weeks ago and I paid it because I'd made a mistake."

But Chamber of trade president David Cottam said the problem was ongoing.

He said: "We are having talks with the council to try and ease the situation.

"They need to be less aggr-essive to encourage shoppers into Blackburn, especially in the run up to Christmas."

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration, said: "The council are happy that the correct procedures have been carried out by the parking attendants."