Sloppily-parked traffic warden hands out a ticket

Mar 11 2010 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

TAXI driver George Brodie has drawn battle lines with his local council after a row over a parking bay drove him to distraction.

Mr Brodie and his wife Dawn had parked on a ramp opposite the Grand Hotel in Tynemouth, which leads to the Longsands. The ramp is marked with parking bays and the couple set off to walk their dogs on a Monday morning.

As they returned they saw a North Tyneside Council parking enforcement officer arrive, who told Mr Brodie that he was being served with a £25 ticket.

Mr Brodie pays £30 a year for a council permit which allows parking on coastal sites.

Mr Brodie, who lives in Park Crescent in North Shields, said: “I told him I had a permit but he said I was getting a ticket for not parking straight and being a couple of inches over the bay line .

“I have a long car – a Mercedes estate – and I was parked right up to the ramp wall. I couldn’t believe what was happening for the sake of a couple of inches.”

Then Mrs Brodie noticed that the enforcement van had been parked with its front end well over its bay markings, and began taking pictures.

“He jumped into the van and reversed it into the bay,” said Mr Brodie. With the fine rising to £50 if not paid within two weeks Mr Brodie sent a letter of appeal . But when he did not receive a reply and with the deadline looming he resorted to email, and was told the fine would be frozen while the matter was looked into.