Towed after three minutes (From Croydon Guardian)

Towed after three minutes

3:28pm Wednesday 23rd June 2004 in

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A motorist says his car was ticketed and towed to a pound after just three minutes of parking on a single yellow line.

Teacher Matthew McDowall, 28, admits his Ford Mondeo was parked illegally in South Norwood High Street on April 30, but was surprised to find his car had gone after helping his mother carry papers into work.

He said: "I was only inside for three minutes. When I came back my car was gone."

The reason Matthew, of Lucerne Road, can be so exact is he has obtained security camera pictures showing his vehicle was lifted on to the tow truck at 7.38am, three minutes after a ticket was issued.

However the ticket issued says the car was towed at 7.45am meaning they had waited for 10 minutes before towing it.

He has started proceedings to appeal the £190 fine on the grounds it was issued unfairly.

He said: "Everything was in the car, exam papers and other work for my job as a teacher.

"When I was given a copy of the penalty charge notice I saw that the time of it being towed away 7.45am was completely wrong.

"I'm willing to accept the consequences for parking on a yellow line, but surely it's wrong to falsify details on a parking ticket?"

Croydon Council's parking restrictions state that a car can be towed any time after a ticket is issued.

The Guardian asked Croydon Council to look into the allegation of falsifying information and a spokesman said: "Our photos, taken by the tow-away crew, clearly show the vehicle parked half on the pavement straddling a yellow line, offences which result in an immediate fine and the vehicle being towed away, regardless of how long it was parked for."