Pay and poorly displayed: Drivers get parking fines
Review and Observer
by Ruth Holmes
8th September 06
ONE lucky driver has had a parking fine dropped after complaining that a disabled bay in Harpenden town centre was badly marked. But scores more will be denied compensation for the same action despite admission from St Albans District Council that the road markings were "not correctly displayed".
Des Hughes, of Blackmore End, Wheathampstead, received a fixed penalty charge when he parked outside the florists on Lower High Street on August 1.
The council carried out a site inspection after receiving a letter from Mr Hughes and subsequently cancelled the fine, apologising for any inconvenience caused.
Mr Hughes had argued that the bay was only marked with a small sign, not the road markings signalling other disabled spaces in the area. He said: "I had been used to parking there for an hour for free in the past and parked there in good faith.
"I would not park in a disabled space, in fact I avoided two other disabled spaces that were clearly marked."
When asked whether other drivers who had received fines from parking in the same bay would get their money back, a council spokesman said drivers who had already paid a fine had accepted the conditions and would not be refunded.
She said the council had received no other appeals on the same basis for that location but stressed that future appeals would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The bay where Mr Hughes parked was one of three for disabled badge holders in Lower High Street, between Station Road and Sun Lane.
When Hertfordshire Highways renewed the bays as part of the recent enhancement works, only two of the bays were highlighted with bold disabled' road markings.
Mr Hughes accused the council of profiting from the discrepancy, saying: "There is a dishonesty in the way the laws are enforced.
"The council is relying on the revenue from these fines to keep the council tax down.
"It is another way of taxing the public."
The council insists that are legal ways of indicating a disabled bay but added that road markings would be laid down soon "to provide consistency".
9:25am Friday 8th September 2006
by Ruth Holmes
8th September 06
ONE lucky driver has had a parking fine dropped after complaining that a disabled bay in Harpenden town centre was badly marked. But scores more will be denied compensation for the same action despite admission from St Albans District Council that the road markings were "not correctly displayed".
Des Hughes, of Blackmore End, Wheathampstead, received a fixed penalty charge when he parked outside the florists on Lower High Street on August 1.
The council carried out a site inspection after receiving a letter from Mr Hughes and subsequently cancelled the fine, apologising for any inconvenience caused.
Mr Hughes had argued that the bay was only marked with a small sign, not the road markings signalling other disabled spaces in the area. He said: "I had been used to parking there for an hour for free in the past and parked there in good faith.
"I would not park in a disabled space, in fact I avoided two other disabled spaces that were clearly marked."
When asked whether other drivers who had received fines from parking in the same bay would get their money back, a council spokesman said drivers who had already paid a fine had accepted the conditions and would not be refunded.
She said the council had received no other appeals on the same basis for that location but stressed that future appeals would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The bay where Mr Hughes parked was one of three for disabled badge holders in Lower High Street, between Station Road and Sun Lane.
When Hertfordshire Highways renewed the bays as part of the recent enhancement works, only two of the bays were highlighted with bold disabled' road markings.
Mr Hughes accused the council of profiting from the discrepancy, saying: "There is a dishonesty in the way the laws are enforced.
"The council is relying on the revenue from these fines to keep the council tax down.
"It is another way of taxing the public."
The council insists that are legal ways of indicating a disabled bay but added that road markings would be laid down soon "to provide consistency".
9:25am Friday 8th September 2006
posted by Neil Herron at 10:30 AM
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