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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2805073/Fury-traffic-wardens-handing-tickets-city-centre-bus-drivers-parked-stops.htmlFury over traffic wardens handing out tickets to city centre bus drivers while they are parked up at stops Buses being given £70 fines for parking at stops for two minutes
Drivers say they have to park for a few minutes so they can swap over
Say council is on a 'suicide mission' to drive people out of Wolverhampton
Bus drivers feel they are being 'penalised' and targeted unfairly by wardens
Council say bus drivers are abandoning buses at stop for long periods
Meeting organised for drivers and wardens, with fines suspended until then
By Claire Carter For Mailonline
Published: 15:28, 23 October 2014 | Updated: 16:51, 23 October 2014
Bus drivers claim they are being unfairly targeted by traffic wardens who are handing out £70 on the spot fines while they are parked at bus stops.
Workers at National Express West Midlands said they feel Wolverhampton council is on a 'suicide mission' to drive everyone out of the city by penalising drivers for doing their jobs.
They report being given fines for stopping at designated bus stops for as little as two minutes - which drivers say is essential at some point in the day to enable them to switch drivers.
However the council said they had received a number of complaints about illegal parking and wardens said several drivers had been abandoning their buses for long periods.
National Express West Midlands workers say traffic wardens have started dishing out fines on an almost daily basis.
One driver, who has received a fine, said: 'I think there was six or seven of us ticketed in total.
'Some drivers were there for two or three minutes waiting for a change of driver when the traffic wardens gave them tickets.
'The wardens were telling us we had to move on, but that is always the place where we change drivers before the bus heads off to Dudley.
'It's crazy when you have cars driving through the taxi-only lane up Pipers Row while the roadworks are on.
'They don't get tickets, but we are getting penalised for doing our jobs.
'It is as if the council is on a suicide mission to drive everyone out of Wolverhampton.'
Wolverhampton City Council said wardens started ticketing buses in Lichfield Street after receiving complaints about illegal parking.
Town hall chiefs said no vehicle was allowed to stop in the street unless loading or unloading.
They confirmed two fines were given to bus drivers last Friday - but National Express claims the total figure is much higher.
A spokesperson for National Express added: 'Some number one buses that had been to Tettenhall were ticketed while they waited along Lichfield Street.
'Several tickets were given out. We know there have been issues there with cars parking in the bus lane which has led to congestion.'
Council parking wardens claim they were responding to complaints that drivers had been abandoning their buses for long periods of time for breaks.
A spokesperson for Wolverhampton City Council said: 'There have been issues about parking and congestion in Lichfield Street.
'A meeting has been organised for next week with all the interested parties to talk things through and hopefully agree a way forward.'
Wardens have been told to stop giving out fines until the meeting is held.
Passengers on the Number 1 Wolverhampton-to-Dudley service gave mixed responses.
Rose Weston, 77, who travels each day to do her shopping, said: 'Where are the buses supposed to park? You can't put them in a multi-storey car park..
'They stop at the bus stop - that's why its called a bus stop.'
Ethel Perkins, 80, added: 'Rules are rules and exist to keep people safe.'