Author Topic: Northamptonshire County Council admit to unlawful parking fines  (Read 2747 times)

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Offline Web Admin

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Northamptonshire County Council admit to unlawful parking fines
« on: 16 December, 2013, 07:05:28 PM »
Northamptonshire County Council admit to unlawful parking fines

Parking wardens have handed out £3,605 in illegal fines in streets near Northampton General Hospital which was revealed after they admitted the wrongful issuing of a ticket.

William Wright, from Overstone, wrote to Northamptonshire County Council, which is in charge of off-street parking, after his fiancee, Susan Pettitt received a ticket in Cliftonville when picking up her mother from NGH.

He said he was surprised to get a ticket because the ‘no unloading’ sign was on an A4 sheet of paper on a lamp post .

But in a written reply, a parking investigation officer said it had looked into the case and found the kerb markings were not rendered in the way described by the traffic order.

It said: “Therefore, in view of this fact, the charge in this instance has been unlawfully issued and we are withdrawing the penalty.”

However, the letter also revealed that any penalty charge issued in the Cliftonville ‘no unloading’ spaces between November 12–26 were also likely to be invalid.

A spokeswoman for the council said: “Following concerns from blue light services and local residents about obstruction issues, a consultation was carried out to introduce loading restrictions in Cliftonville.

“The new restrictions went live on November 12. However, on November 26, we became aware that the new line markings were incorrect. As a result, we immediately stopped enforcing the new restrictions until the markings were corrected We’ve also cancelled any parking tickets issued here from the 12 to 26th and are in the process of refunding drivers.”

The text of the county council’s letter Mr Wright’s letter:

“Whilst the issuing of the charge was correct in that there had been a contravention observed at the time by the Civil Enforcement Officer, there is a discrepancy between the Traffic Regulation Order, which allows for lawful ?enforecment of the controls in place, and the correct application of kerb markings indicating or sighting the loading ban when the work was undertaken by the Highways Maintenance Contractor.”

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/business/business-news/northamptonshire-county-council-admit-to-unlawful-parking-fines-1-5748517

Offline Coco

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Re: Northamptonshire County Council admit to unlawful parking fines
« Reply #1 on: 17 December, 2013, 08:47:47 AM »
In view of the above, together with some additional information that has come to my attention, I have removed my previous topic praising Northampton Borough Council for its approach to parking enforcement. I will re-post after further investigation.l

Offline Belplasca

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Re: Northamptonshire County Council admit to unlawful parking fines
« Reply #2 on: 17 December, 2013, 09:08:06 AM »
In view of the above, together with some additional information that has come to my attention, I have removed my previous topic praising Northampton Borough Council for its approach to parking enforcement. I will re-post after further investigation.l
Surely one is about the Northamptonshire council (i.e. the COUNTY) and the other is about the Nothampton Borough council (i.e. the town)?

Two quite separate authorities, surely?

Bob
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Offline Coco

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Re: Northamptonshire County Council admit to unlawful parking fines
« Reply #3 on: 17 December, 2013, 01:19:58 PM »
That is what I thought Belplasca, but when I checked the county website I discovered that it is they who now undertake all parking enforcement in the county, apart from Kettering where it is still in the hands of the police. Even worse the contract for enforcement has been awarded to NSL so I expect that we will soon be suffering from their predatory habits.

But to give the county some credit, at least they are proactively refunding people who were given PCNs in Cliftonville.  What I find surprising is why anyone collecting a person from the hospital should need to stop in that stretch of road. The hospital has large car parks with plenty of places where one can stop without charge for short periods of time -  up to 30 minutes I believe.

 


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