COUNCIL bosses have backed a civil enforcement officer who parked illegally while fining a driver who had also parked illegally.
As our exclusive photos show, the officer who was using an unmarked van, left it overhanging an official bay to slap a £50 ticket on a car committing the same offence.
And when the driver, Alan Hilton from Twyford returned his vehicle, he was furious to hear the reason for the fine.
“I couldn’t believe it when the enforcement officer said I was guilty of, as he put it, parking otherwise than within a marked parking bay, ” explained Alan.
“I looked at the way he had parked his van in the very same position as me but I was getting the ticket. It is sheer hypocrisy. He should have fined himself.
“I was so angry I took a photo to show how our vehicles were parked but the officer just shrugged his shoulders and walked away.”
Alan, a retired pilot, had left his car for a few minutes in the Polehampton Close car park to visit a nearby takeaway. He admits he did not buy a ticket as it was a Sunday evening and the car park was empty except for one other vehicle.
“If I’d been given a fine because I’d not displayed a ticket on my windscreen that would have been harsh, but I’d accept it,” he added.
“The officer explicitly said I was being fined because my car was not properly parked and when I looked at his parking, that made me livid. My car was just a few inches over the bay’s white line just like his van.”
Alan appealed the ticket issued by the private firm which is understood to be based in Sheffield and is contracted by Wokingham Borough Council to enforce parking rules within the Borough. They were used a rented van for this shift.
He received a letter this week rejecting his appeal adding there were “no grounds” to cancel the fine.
“I want to know why a parking officer is allowed to park illegally to issue a fine to a motorist who may also be parked illegally. I can understand if it was a busy High Street and the officer has nowhere nearby so they might sit on a double yellow line.
“But we’re talking about a deserted car park in Twyford on a quiet Sunday night. There were plenty of spaces. The officer should also obey the law, set an example and park legally in a bay. I wonder if they drive around looking for any vehicle committing a minor offence and pounce while the driver is away.”
In response to Alan’s complaint about the enforcement officer, the council told him: “In regards to your comments about the CEOS vehicle, CEO vehicles are classed as operational when being used to carry out an Officer’s duty. As such, they are exempt from Traffic Orders.”
Alan said he wondered if the council had ordered parking officials to increase the number of fines as it was in a cash crisis.
“Wokingham Today recently reported the council had a shortfall of £11m and is looking at ways to raise money,” he added.
“It seems the council has declared war on the motorist to fleece them for the money they need. They regard us as a cash cow to help fill their coffers and will stoop to desperate measures in their attempts to balance their budgets.
“I am deciding whether or not to pay the fine or to take it to the formal appeals procedure.”
