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Court challenge for parking fines | Court challenge for parking fines |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Millions of parking tickets could be invalidated if campaigners win the right to challenge parking laws. | Millions of parking tickets could be invalidated if campaigners win the right to challenge parking laws. |
Neil Herron, from Sunderland, wants the system that allows local councils to issue parking fines to be reviewed. | Neil Herron, from Sunderland, wants the system that allows local councils to issue parking fines to be reviewed. |
He said councils often invalidate their own controlled parking zones by including red lines inside them. | He said councils often invalidate their own controlled parking zones by including red lines inside them. |
Mr Herron also argued at London's High Court that councils do not always erect signs required to tell drivers when they can park on yellow lines. | |
'Two-way street' | 'Two-way street' |
Mr Herron, from campaign group Parking Appeals, wants to use the strict letter of law to challenge parking enforcement. | Mr Herron, from campaign group Parking Appeals, wants to use the strict letter of law to challenge parking enforcement. |
"If you're a minute late back from a meeting you get a £120 fine. If you're an inch over a white bay, you get a £120 fine," he said outside court. | |
"The law's a two-way street and if we have to comply with the law, the most important thing is that the councils comply with the law." | "The law's a two-way street and if we have to comply with the law, the most important thing is that the councils comply with the law." |
He said controlled parking zones can only legally contain single yellow, double yellow or parking spaces.Mr Herron is also director of the Metric Martyrs campaign | He said controlled parking zones can only legally contain single yellow, double yellow or parking spaces.Mr Herron is also director of the Metric Martyrs campaign |
Councils that include red lines within them invalidate the zone, Mr Herron said. | Councils that include red lines within them invalidate the zone, Mr Herron said. |
He also said outside controlled parking zones, signs are required to tell drivers when they can park on yellow lines, yet many streets have no signs. | He also said outside controlled parking zones, signs are required to tell drivers when they can park on yellow lines, yet many streets have no signs. |
Mr Herron's legal team also claims that the tribunals that deal with complaints about parking tickets for England and Wales are not independent because the councils issuing tickets have a say in the appointment of the adjudicators. | Mr Herron's legal team also claims that the tribunals that deal with complaints about parking tickets for England and Wales are not independent because the councils issuing tickets have a say in the appointment of the adjudicators. |
The Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which deals with complaints in England and Wales, and the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service, which deals with London complaints, declined to comment on the allegations. | The Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which deals with complaints in England and Wales, and the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service, which deals with London complaints, declined to comment on the allegations. |
The case was contested by Sunderland Council on behalf of all local authorities at High Court on Thursday. | |
The council said it would "not be appropriate" to comment at this stage. | The council said it would "not be appropriate" to comment at this stage. |
Mr Herron is also director of Metric Martyrs, a group which campaigned against European Union plans to enforce traders to display only metric measurements. | Mr Herron is also director of Metric Martyrs, a group which campaigned against European Union plans to enforce traders to display only metric measurements. |