Those of you who were aghast that I should have the temerity to express an opinion about the US elections yesterday will be pleased to hear that today, today anyway, I will confine myself to matters closer to home.In fact so close to home that I find I live in the very borough to which I intend to award my prestigious "Prats of The Week" award.
Can you guess which borough that is?
Yes, that's right, Croydon!
It would appear that my beloved council is so desperate to raise revenues, that they have instructed their civil enforcement officers (Gestapo agents in old speak) to ticket anyhting with a pulse.
Such was the fate that befell three men working on an emergency gas leak on Beulah Hill, who were gobsmacked to be issued with a £100 parking fine.
They were working on the urgent gas leak at the junction of Beulah Hill and Biggin Hill at 9.30am. Their prominently marked van was parked just behind them on Biggin Hill on double yellow lines.
A parking warden walking up Biggin Hill issued them with a fine at 12.00pm.
Gavin Anderson, from SGN, said:
"We saw the warden just as he was putting the ticket on the windscreen. I told him we were working an emergency. He said he understood but that he had already issued the ticket.
He should have come to find us, it was pretty obvious we were working just behind the van and we are working on an emergency here.
I parked the van in this spot to make sure I was well out of the way of any traffic, this is a really busy road."
A council spokesman chose to avoid discussing the matter:
"Without the relevant details – the penalty charge notice number or the registration number of the vehicle, we're unable to comment on this specific case.
As a general rule, however, the council's civil enforcement officers are instructed to exercise discretion, particularly in instances where utility companies are carrying out emergency repair works."
Looks like the instructions to the civil enforcement officers are not that clear!
Could it be that parking fines are being used to supplement council tax revenue, to shore up a bankrupt council?
Surely not?
Croydon Council, well deserving Prats of The Week!
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When Hull handed over the job of enforcing parking regulations and collecting, oh what's the word....., er fines, to the ever keen private sector muppets we have now - they actually issued a ticket to a vehicle that was parked on yellow lines next to a notice stating "School Buses Only".
ReplyDeleteThe vehicle in question was...
... a school bus.
Kerching!!
ReplyDeleteNo need to say anymore!!
It is suprising? Recenlty in my home town i was given a ticket for parking in a loading bay....while loading my van which clearly states the name of my company on it, opposite my property which also clearly displays the same name and logo.
ReplyDeleteWhen i confronted the gentleman it turns out he spoke hardly any english. Some target driven minimum wage slave from somewhere in eastern europe repeting the mantra.."ive already issued the ticket".
Back in the good old days of our local traffic wardens, and no targets, i would be reminded of any misdemenor by one of our local wardens sticking his head round the shop door and cheerfully remind me with a "Oi mush shift that van its been there an hour, if its there when i come back in 15 minutes you're getting a ticket".
I never thought i'd miss the old wardens. And we used to call them Nazi boot boys, how little we knew
'Our Guv'nor, who was in the shop obtaining details for a fire report, heard a bit the commotion, took the traffic warden into the fire-damaged shop, picked him up by his lapels and bellowed "FUCK OFF, OR I AM GOING TO RIP YOUR HEAD FROM YOUR NECK, CUNTIE".
ReplyDeleteHe left.'
What a pity that the foreman of those fixing the gas leak didn't reason with this tosser of a parking warden in a similar manner!
It's not a nice thing to say, but I am sorely tempted to sincerely hope that the next gas leak that this crew are called to is at the home of this jobsworth or his employers, and that their response is,"Sorry, we can't help you! We cannot park on double yellow lines! It's against regulations!"
With people like James Price what do you expect Croydon to be?
ReplyDeleteThis person works for parking services and he sells copies of the infamous Croydon parking permits!!!!
I am so sick of this council that I am moving somewhere else (hoping that is any better!)
DEAR ANONYMOUS - SOUNDS LIKE YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT - GOOD RIDDANCE I SAY!
ReplyDeleteIF YOU'D LIKE TO MEET ME WE COULD DISCUSS YOUR SLANDEROUS COMMENTS.
Vehicles may be removed from the street to Croydon's car pound at Stubbs Mead at any time after a Penalty Charge Notice (PNC) has been issued.
ReplyDeleteMotorists who return to their vehicle and find it is not there should telephone the London TRACE service to discover whether it has been towed away or stolen.
The charges for removal to the car pound are £200 plus the fee for the Penalty Charge Notice. A £40 storage fee will be charged for every day a vehicle is stored at the pound.
If your vehicle is wheel-clamped, you will be liable for a £65 charge plus the fee for the Penalty Charge Notice.
Impounded vehicles are securely stored at our Stubbs Mead car pound. Management of impounded vehicles is carried out by Croydon staff.