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AN angry motorist has hit out after being slapped with a fine for parking in a taxi rank. Martin Radford received a fine from Gloucestershire County Council for parking along the Promenade in Cheltenham, opposite Jack Wills, in the evening.
He says it was unclear that the area, which can be used as a general parking area through the day, becomes a taxi rank from 6pm.
The Yorkshireman said the ticket machine did not provide any information regarding the space’s function in the evening and the signs stating the change-over were blocked by trees at either end of the road.
Mr Radford, 57, said: “It’s not so much the money that I’m particularly bothered about. It’s the principle.
“Although, it’s not the sort of thing I want to be spending my money on.”
He parked up at around 7pm in the marked out space on Thursday July 25.
Mr Radford, who is employed as a laboratory technician, says that he went to pay ‘in good faith’ and read the instructions, which read that 8am-6pm were when charges apply.
So he assumed that the parking would be free.
However, when he returned an hour later after having food, a traffic warden was ticketing a car behind him.
He enquired whether he was okay to park there.
The traffic warden informed him about how the bays became a taxi traffic and then administered a fine.
Mr Radford appealed against the fine online and within the message to the council he states: “I fully expect to get the reply telling me that all signage meets the legal requirements. I’m sure it does.
“But ethically? Morally? I don’t think it does.”
He told said: “Anyone pulling up to park there would read the instructions on the meter and if it says 8am-6pm, you take it as free after 6pm.
“You shouldn’t expect to then go and
It’s not so much the money that I’m particularly bothered about. It’s the principle.
Martin Radford
have to find another sign that says no parking after 6pm except for taxis.
“They [the council] should have left instructions on the meter or on another notice next to it.”
Mr Radford was in the town centre that evening watch Welsh comedian Rhod Ghilbert perform live.
He says the experience “put a dampener on the night”.
He added: “I was annoyed at getting a ticket, they should have made the signage blatantly obvious on the meter.”
A spokesperson for the county council said: “We areabout to update the signs on the Promenade parking machines.
“Although the signs and lines in place are correct, we have already updated machines in other areas of the town with similar dual use bays to assist our customers.
“We encourage Mr Radford to follow the instructions on the ticket if he wishes to challenge his fine.”
They added that ‘dual use’ bays are in place because town centres have different demands by day and night.
The council elaborated that the dual use “help to balance the range of local requirements; shoppers want to park by day, restaurant goers or those going clubbing want to be able to catch a taxi home in the evening or late at night”.