A PARKING warden slapped a ticket on a van – while his own vehicle was parked without a permit.
The Kirklees Council warden issued a ticket to the white van which was parked on double yellow lines near the Black Horse pub on Lidget Street in Lindley.
But at the same time the warden’s vehicle was parked in a residents-only zone on nearby Occupation Road.
David Mosley of Marsh was walking past when he noticed the parking warden’s car on May 23.
He said: “As I walked past the Black Horse I passed a traffic warden walking with a sense of purpose that caught my eye.
“As I crossed Occupation Road I stopped outside the Lindley Liberal Club to observe the man. It was apparent that he was going to issue a ticket to a white van that had parked on some double yellow lines. I don’t have an issue with this. Why would anyone?
“I was about to continue my walk when I noticed the warden’s vehicle parked just down Occupation Road on the right hand side.”
Mr Mosley went up to the council car and spoke to the traffic warden’s colleague who was sat in the passenger seat.
Mr Mosley said: “I asked to see his resident’s parking permit. He said they didn’t need a permit because they were in a Kirklees vehicle.
“I told him: ‘By your logic you could park that vehicle anywhere you saw fit in Kirklees. You’re not displaying a permit and therefore in my eyes you, like the white van, are parking illegally. If I was parked here and was not displaying a permit you would issue me with a ticket. Surely you are not above the law.’”
Mr Mosley continued: “The man was becoming tired of my questioning and opened the glove box and said his permit was in there. Then he stepped out of the vehicle bringing with him the log book and operating manual.”
The other traffic warden then returned from ticketing the white van.
Mr Mosley said: “He told me that they had a permit in the boot of their car. But after a minute of searching the warden told me he didn’t have his permit with him.”
Mr Mosley added: “There was no need for the wardens to park in a permit holders only zone. The wardens, like the white van, could have parked perfectly legally on Daisy Lea Lane only fifty yards away.
“In the same way the white van driver had been lazy so too had the traffic wardens. Alas the white van driver will be made to pay for his idleness but will the traffic wardens? I doubt it.”
A Kirklees spokesman said: “All the council’s marked vehicles are exempt and allowed to park in the residential permit zones. They do not require a permit to park in these areas, especially when they are carrying out their work. They would need a valid permit if it is a private vehicle.”
