Motorists in Dewsbury escaped parking tickets – and may not even know about it.
At least half a dozen drivers had £50 penalty tickets slapped on their windscreens on Wednesday morning – only for them to be REMOVED a short time later.
An Easter funfair has taken over half Kirklees Council’s railway station car park in Wellington Road, leaving pressure on spaces.
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Some drivers bought tickets but parked at the side of the car park and not in marked bays. Around seven cars ended up with £50 tickets.
Mirfield Tory councillor Martyn Bolt, using the station to travel to a meeting in Leeds, complained to the council over the lack of advanced warning signs about the reduced capacity and the “heavy-handed” way the council had dished out fines.
Within an hour council chiefs had backed down and the parking attendant went round REMOVING the penalty notices.
Clr Bolt, a former Kirklees highways committee chairman, said he was pleased common sense had prevailed.
He said the council would be receiving rent from the funfair and was prepared to hit unsuspecting motorists in the pocket.
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He told the Examiner he had seen seven cars with parking tickets.
“The terms and conditions of the car park say that fines ‘may’ be issued for parking outside designated bays but didn’t have to be.
“The station car park is popular but there are no signs on the approach to say there’s a fair and spaces are reduced or any signs to direct motorists to alternative car parks.
“It was a big communications failure but at least the council has done the right thing.”
Clr Bolt said the parking attendant had consulted his bosses before issuing the tickets and again after his complaint and wasn’t to blame.
He said any motorist caught out should appeal the ticket.
