Verging on ridiculous: motorists to appeal fines for parking outside busy school fair
This is Hertfordshire
By Louisa Barnett
The borough's parking attendants have come under fire yet again after issuing 15 tickets in an hour to motorists visiting a school fair in Winchmore Hill.
Fines of £80 were given to drivers who parked on grass verges outside Merryhills School, in Bincote Road, which was holding its annual summer fair on Sunday.
The fines have perplexed motorists as there were no signs detailing parking restrictions.
Jackie Warner, whose niece attends the school, said: "They're all just greedy.
"The attendants looked like they'd won six lotteries at once.
"It was a Sunday and we were all just parked up on the grass verges.
We weren't obstructing or hurting anybody.
"There were so many cars there, and there was another event going on at a nearby school, so where was everyone supposed to park?
"I'm absolutely fuming."
Last week, Enfield Council vowed to review its parking ticket policy after it was inundated with calls from angry residents who received tickets for parking their cars on the kerb outside their homes to avoid obstructing the road.
A council spokesman said the motorists who left their cars outside Merryhills School were all illegally parked as they were on a grass verge and there is therefore no need for signs and lines.
He added that parking attendants do not get paid commission on the number of penalty charge notices that they issue.
Mrs Warner added: "We'll all be appealing against the fine, but we don't hold out much hope of success as it's the council which deals with complaints."
The council spokesman added: "Motorists who are dissatisfied with the council's response have the right to go to the independent adjudication service known as PATAS (Parking and Traffic Appeals Service).
"Our success rate for winning appeals is the best in London, and only 0.2 per cent of the grand total of penalty charge notices issued in Enfield are appealed at PATAS."
In the financial year 2005/06, the council made £1.5million through parking fines of which £1.3million went to fund concessionary travel and £200k was reserved for future parking schemes.
By Louisa Barnett
The borough's parking attendants have come under fire yet again after issuing 15 tickets in an hour to motorists visiting a school fair in Winchmore Hill.
Fines of £80 were given to drivers who parked on grass verges outside Merryhills School, in Bincote Road, which was holding its annual summer fair on Sunday.
The fines have perplexed motorists as there were no signs detailing parking restrictions.
Jackie Warner, whose niece attends the school, said: "They're all just greedy.
"The attendants looked like they'd won six lotteries at once.
"It was a Sunday and we were all just parked up on the grass verges.
We weren't obstructing or hurting anybody.
"There were so many cars there, and there was another event going on at a nearby school, so where was everyone supposed to park?
"I'm absolutely fuming."
Last week, Enfield Council vowed to review its parking ticket policy after it was inundated with calls from angry residents who received tickets for parking their cars on the kerb outside their homes to avoid obstructing the road.
A council spokesman said the motorists who left their cars outside Merryhills School were all illegally parked as they were on a grass verge and there is therefore no need for signs and lines.
He added that parking attendants do not get paid commission on the number of penalty charge notices that they issue.
Mrs Warner added: "We'll all be appealing against the fine, but we don't hold out much hope of success as it's the council which deals with complaints."
The council spokesman added: "Motorists who are dissatisfied with the council's response have the right to go to the independent adjudication service known as PATAS (Parking and Traffic Appeals Service).
"Our success rate for winning appeals is the best in London, and only 0.2 per cent of the grand total of penalty charge notices issued in Enfield are appealed at PATAS."
In the financial year 2005/06, the council made £1.5million through parking fines of which £1.3million went to fund concessionary travel and £200k was reserved for future parking schemes.
posted by Neil Herron at 11:39 AM
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