Victory for drivers at Burnley parking fine ‘honey pot’

A pensioner is hoping the end of the road has come for a controversial Burnley parking spot where scores of disabled drivers have been “stung” with penalty tickets.

Joyce Hardy took her fight to court after being slapped with a parking ticket in a town centre loading bay where unsuspecting motorists claim they are being targeted by traffic wardens.

The 65-year-old, who represented herself, said hundreds of drivers had fallen foul of parking laws at the notorious two-space loading bay in Manchester Road which is right next to a designated disabled parking space near Lloyds Bank.

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But blue disabled badge holder Joyce, of Peebles Grove, had the parking fine overturned by the adjudicator who is set to write to Lancashire County Council bosses with recommendations.

She said: “The judge said it was not properly marked and it needed marking up properly with white lines and a ‘loading only’ sign so people can see it.

“She will get on to Lancashire County Council and recommend they put proper signs up and put white markings on the road.

“The judge can only recommend it – she cannot make them do it.”

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Joyce, and her 69-year-old husband Trevor, were issued with a yellow parking ticket notice back in November after a shopping trip in Burnley town centre.

“We just parked there in what we thought was a disabled bay. But there was a parking fine on our car when we got back.
“I told a traffic warden that it was not properly sign posted. He said it was nothing to do with them and it was just ‘tough luck’.”

But Joyce refused to pay the fine and decided to take the matter before the courts by herself.

She said: “Lots of people in Burnley have been getting fines even though they are disabled.

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“That is why we decided to go to court against Lancashire County Council. It is like a honey pot for them because there are so many people being fined.

“We went on our own because we couldn’t afford a solicitor. We could have just paid the £30 fine – it has cost us more in petrol.

“We took photos and sent paperwork to the courts.

“We think it is a great victory. We hope now it will be the end of the road for the parking fines there.”

Joyce and her husband are not the only disabled drivers to approach the Burnley Express with concerns about the number of parking tickets issued in the town centre bay.

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Drivers say the warning sign is too small and have called for proper road markings to be painted in the spot to make people aware. But county hall chiefs had said studded markers on the road showing the loading bay had been replaced and meant the parking arrangements could be enforced by traffic wardens again from last August.

Now Paul Riley, Lancashire County Council parking services manager, said: “We haven’t yet received the comments from the adjudicator in this case but will carefully consider what they have to say and any changes that may be needed as a result.”