Permit holder's car coned off

8:45am Wednesday 7th May 2008

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AN ANGRY motorist has hit out at Winchester City Council after she was fined for not moving her car from a permit holders' parking bay.

Secretary Lauren Bagley, who holds a permit allowing her to leave her vehicle near her Milman Court home in Parchment Street, Winchester, was slapped with a £70 fine after leaving it in a space close to The Salvation Army's offices.

The 20-year-old - who rarely uses her vehicle because she works in nearby St Peter Street - said she saw some cones around her car on April 10 and, 24 hours later, she had a ticket.

The office worker said that when she contacted parking chiefs she was told the bay had been suspended because a removal van needed access.

But Miss Bagley slammed the council for not telling her that the parking space was needed. She said: "They said they needed it for a removal van but obviously I had know idea about this. Twenty-four hours later I had a ticket. If they need to use it they should let residents know.

"I think it's ridiculous. If I had gone on holiday I wouldn't have known about it. How are residents meant to know? I think it's stupid.

"I'm not going to pay it. I'm prepared to go to court. My permit is £22 for the year and the fine is three times that!"

She added that when bollards were placed around her car there was no notice in sight informing her that the space was needed.

But a spokesman for the city council said notices informing residents of parking bay suspensions were put up two days in advance and that a fine was issued when the bollards were installed.

He said: "In this case Miss Bagley's car was not parked in the bay when the suspension notices were installed on April 9.

"However, on April 11 Miss Bagley's car was parked in defiance of the notice and for that reason bollards were placed around the parking bay."

According to Miss Bagley the city council told her in a letter that a message had been left with a neighbour about the changes to the parking bay. But the 20-year-old said she had not received the information and that she did not even know the lady in question.

The city council said the neighbour had approached the parking attendant and said she would tell Miss Bagley, but that was not used as a formal route.