Parents' anger at parking fines
Cambridge Evening News
ANGRY parents were drained of festive spirit after a parking attendant slapped tickets on their cars as they watched an end-of-school play which overran.
Parking restrictions outside Tannery Drift First School, in Tannery Drift, Royston, come into force for an hour at 11am on weekdays to stop commuters and shoppers from parking along the road.
In previous years, police traffic wardens would go into the school when they saw large numbers of cars parked outside during restricted periods, to ask if there was a function and ensure parents moved their vehicles.
But on Tuesday, when the play overran, parents were given no warning of the impending fines.
Without telling the school's reception, a parking attendant from North Hertfordshire District Council, which is now in charge of enforcing parking regulations in the town, placed parking tickets on several cars, just moments before the end of the play.
One angry dad said: "The parking attendant wasn't showing great Christmas spirit, was he?
"We are all very angry about what happened and many of us will appeal the tickets."
A mum said: "We were hardly in there any length of time."
A spokeswoman from the school said: "We were just as surprised as anyone else to see the parking attendant outside and we went and told the parents as quickly as possible.
"Unfortunately the play had overrun.
"There are parking restrictions and technically our parents were in the wrong. But even when they explained to the warden why they were there it was no good.
"In the past, when the police were in charge, they would always come and see if it was a school event."
Parents claimed as many as 16 cars were targeted but the council said, although 18 cars were illegally parked, just five were given tickets.
A spokesman from North Hertfordshire District Council said the attendants were responding to complaints from residents about lack of parking enforcement in Tannery Drift.
He said: "They found no less than 18 cars illegally parked.
"The attendants waited 15 minutes during which time some drivers, noticing their presence, came and moved their cars. It became clear most of these were parents attending the nativity play at Tannery Drift School. Thirteen cars were moved but five were not and these were duly and correctly ticketed.
"The council's parking attendants have acted correctly throughout and exercised discretion and leniency in applying the penalties."
ANGRY parents were drained of festive spirit after a parking attendant slapped tickets on their cars as they watched an end-of-school play which overran.
Parking restrictions outside Tannery Drift First School, in Tannery Drift, Royston, come into force for an hour at 11am on weekdays to stop commuters and shoppers from parking along the road.
In previous years, police traffic wardens would go into the school when they saw large numbers of cars parked outside during restricted periods, to ask if there was a function and ensure parents moved their vehicles.
But on Tuesday, when the play overran, parents were given no warning of the impending fines.
Without telling the school's reception, a parking attendant from North Hertfordshire District Council, which is now in charge of enforcing parking regulations in the town, placed parking tickets on several cars, just moments before the end of the play.
One angry dad said: "The parking attendant wasn't showing great Christmas spirit, was he?
"We are all very angry about what happened and many of us will appeal the tickets."
A mum said: "We were hardly in there any length of time."
A spokeswoman from the school said: "We were just as surprised as anyone else to see the parking attendant outside and we went and told the parents as quickly as possible.
"Unfortunately the play had overrun.
"There are parking restrictions and technically our parents were in the wrong. But even when they explained to the warden why they were there it was no good.
"In the past, when the police were in charge, they would always come and see if it was a school event."
Parents claimed as many as 16 cars were targeted but the council said, although 18 cars were illegally parked, just five were given tickets.
A spokesman from North Hertfordshire District Council said the attendants were responding to complaints from residents about lack of parking enforcement in Tannery Drift.
He said: "They found no less than 18 cars illegally parked.
"The attendants waited 15 minutes during which time some drivers, noticing their presence, came and moved their cars. It became clear most of these were parents attending the nativity play at Tannery Drift School. Thirteen cars were moved but five were not and these were duly and correctly ticketed.
"The council's parking attendants have acted correctly throughout and exercised discretion and leniency in applying the penalties."
posted by Neil Herron at 10:40 AM
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