‘Untidy’ parking of the mayor’s car sparks online row
APHOTOGRAPH of the Mayoral car ‘untidily’ parked in Macclesfield has resurfaced to cause an online stink. The picture of the Bentley was taken on Treacle Market day back in April and shows the Bentley positioned over the markings of a parking space.
And via social media it has now been passed to Roger Murray, 89, who the following month received a £50 fine from Cheshire East Council for untidy parking.
His Landrover Defender was slightly outside its space at the Grosvenor multi-storey, in Macclesfield centre, and because he refused to pay he was threatened with bailiffs.
Although the Bentley was in a car park behind the town hall that was not open to the public, Roger has been left angered.
He said: “It seems one rule for some people and another for others. I’m still on principle refusing to give in and pay.
“It will be interesting to see if the council are also going to [hand out a fine] for untidy parking as this picture clearly shows the official car untidily parked.
“Furthermore, a Bentley. One of the most expensive cars in the world, probably paid for with all the money they make from the parking fines they dish out like confetti.”
Roger argued that the parking bays were too small for his Landrover - even returning to picture it there to prove he had parked as well as possible.
The picture of the mayor’s car was taken by Nigel Manton, who at the time was an Independent candidate in the Cheshire East elections for the Macclesfield Central ward.
He was standing, in part, on an environmental ticket and snapped the Bentley as he saw it as an unnecessary use of resources.
And because it was parked in parts of two electric car charging spaces. Roger, of Adlington, has now posted the picture on Facebook and Twitter, where it provoked quite a reaction.
Among those to comment was Ailsa Wright who said: “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
Cheshire East Council has been asked to comment.
When the Macclesfield
Express originally reported on Roger’s fine the council said it had been correctly issued with photographic evidence and his vehicle ‘prevented other drivers from using the neighbouring parking space’.
The council is also reviewing the role of its mayor and the use of a Bentley for the position.