Couple’s court fight pledge over ticket
AN ELDERLY couple who received a parking fine when the ticket machine was out of order have vowed to fight the company in court.
Valerie Jackson, 75, used the Knightsbridge car park, in Stockport town centre, but there were no working ticket machines.
When there was no answer on the helpline number, she left a note on her car to explain why she had no ticket and went shopping.
But when she returned an hour later a council parking warden had slapped a £50 fine on her Peugeot 308 windscreen.
Valerie and her husband Ernie, 83, are refusing to pay on principle and want to hear from anyone else who this happened to in order to strengthen their case.
She said: “There were quite a few other cars that had done the same thing so we think there will be others that this happened to.
“For a traffic warden to see a sign like this on a car but take no notice and give out a fine is diabolical. It is so frustrating.
“This is the sort of stupid thing that will stop people going to shop in Stockport.”
The incident happened on July 18 and Valerie arrived at the car park at 10.30am and returned at 11.45am.
Upon contacting the council she says she was told the machine fault was reported after midday.
But Valerie and several others had been unable to report it earlier because of the phone line not being answered.
The fine is reduced to £25 if paid within 14 days but the couple, who live in Stalybridge, have decided to appeal.
Ernie, an ex-policeman, said: “As a one off £25 is not a large amount but it is a matter of principle and we will take it as far as court if necessary.
“Hopefully the council will see sense and withdraw it. I doubt we’ll be going to shop in Stockport again though.”
Councillor Sheila Bailey, cabinet member for parking, said: “We’ve received an appeal for this PCN and, as normal, we will investigate and respond within 10 days.
“Our staff routinely check the machines before they issue tickets, but if we find that the machine was indeed faulty on this day, then of course, the PCN will be cancelled.”
Anyone else this happened to is asked to contact Ernie on 07880 730294.