Parking Enforcement gets a bad press in the UK with daily claims that enforcement officers are little Hitlers/power mad/ driven by quotas/ or just out to make money by ticketing any minor infringement.
It is nice therefore to read a story that shows the true face of parking enforcement and the high value that our local authorities attach to obeying the law and to customer care. No, just joking.
Sara Simmond’s daughter locked her out of her car, leaving the keys visible inside. Up comes a Watford parking attendant and Mrs Simmonds explained her predicament. Watford’s finest, after consultation with his superiors, leapt into action. Did he call a mechanic? No. Did he suggest she call the police who can usually get into a car without too much trouble? No. Did he log her car as broken down? No. On the instructions of his superiors, he issued a £70 fixed penalty notice.
Mrs Simmonds said "I am going to have to waste my time and money appealing this ticket and the council will have to waste theirs dealing that appeal. There is no way that I am going to pay." A Watford Borough Council spokesman confirmed the ticket had been issued, adding that any mitigating issues could be aired at an appeal.
No. The Council already knows all the circumstances and they have no legitimate reason to issue a ticket to what is in effect a broken down car. Mrs Simmonds is absolutely right, the Council action will waste her time, their time and just add to the daily growing pile of bad judgement, bad service examples of Local Councils doing the wrong thing. Does no one in Watford understand either the law or common sense?
Peter Guest
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