Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Bogus penalties for drivers left on cars
MOTORISTS parking on a Dundee street have been targeted by a bogus traffic warden issuing fake tickets.
Penalty notices have been left on vehicles on Mallaig Avenue, near to the junction with Spey Drive in Gowrie Park.
Although it was unclear how many vehicles were targeted, residents said it came in the wake of ongoing issues with commuters and vehicles from neighbouring streets parking there.
Some locals said they “sympathised” with whoever had left the fake parking tickets — despite there being no road markings to prohibit people from parking their vehicles on the street.
The notices, which included a Dundee City Council logo, claimed drivers had contravened a parking regulation under the Road Traffic Act 1991 and had incurred a penalty charge of £60.
John Gibson, 63, a retired civil servant who has lived in the area for 18 months, said that at first glance the tickets looked to be the “genuine article”.
He said: “There can be problems on the road here with staff from Ninewells Hospital using the on-street parking.
“It is usually at its worst during the week. We’ve had visitors who have struggled to get parked near our home.
“We haven’t received a ticket ourselves.
“At first glance you might think the parking tickets are the genuine article, but, on closer inspection, you can see they aren’t legitimate tickets.”
Jen Laughlin, 39, who has lived in the area for more than a year, said that she didn’t condone the issuing of fake tickets, but she does have a degree of sympathy for the person responsible’s frustrations.
She said: “There have been instances in which I’ve had problems getting out of my driveway due to people parking on the street at either side of it. This is largely due to commuters parking in the area as opposed to residents’ cars causing the problem.”
Another woman, who declined to be named, said she was in “full support” of the tickets being issued.
She said: “The biggest problem is cars parking directly opposite the junction at Spey Drive leading on to Mallaig Avenue.
“I know cars being parked there have made it difficult for ambulances, fire engines and bin lorries to access the road. I’ve asked drivers of some vehicles to move in the past and I’ve become quite sick of the verbal abuse I’ve received.
“We’ve had problems with staff at Ninewells and residents who have declined to pay for residents’ permits on Spey Drive.
“Although I don’t know who has issued the tickets, I’m in support of anything that might stop people that don’t live here from parking in the area.”
A spokeswoman for Dundee City Council said: “I can confirm these tickets are not ours and therefore have no validity.”