Norbury driver fined buying Wimbledon parking ticket (From Croydon Guardian)

Norbury driver fined buying Wimbledon parking ticket

8:10am Thursday 20th November 2008 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(5)

A motorist was given a parking ticket as she was putting cash in the nearest pay-and-dsiplay machine.

Norbury resident Kate Daly, 62, remonstrated with an attendant, explaining she had just parked in Hartfield Road car park, Wimbledon, and was only yards away buying a permit.

But not only was she told it was too late to void the fine, Mrs Daly claims the overzealous attendant added: “I’m paid to look at cars not people”.

Mrs Daly said: “I first saw the warden standing by my car so I shouted over and waved my permit in the air.

“It was ridiculous, he looked at me then just carried on with what he was doing and gave me the ticket.”

In a series of letters the local authority initially refused to void the ticket, implying the 62-year-old must have forgotten to display a permit.

Merton Council eventually cancelled the fine last week, but only after Mrs Daley went to the council offices and refused to leave until a senior member of staff addressed her concerns.

Even after the council u-turn, Mrs Daly has vowed to fight on until she receives a personal apology.

She said: “I was so cross when I got that letter that I went storming to the civic centre demanding to see someone. But after all this, all I want is an apology.

“Genuine mistakes happen, but this attendant was just incapable of saying ‘sorry, I got it wrong,’ or showing any kind of initiative at all.”

Merton Council’s cabinet member for planning and traffic management, Councillor William Brierly, said: “We apologise for any distress or inconvenience caused to Ms Daly by this incident.

“Once a civil enforcement officer issues a penalty charge notice, regardless of whether it is afterwards found to be issued incorrectly, it cannot be cancelled on the spot.

“However, motorists are advised that they can always appeal and each case will be considered on its merits.”