Lauren Bagley who was fined for not moving her car from a permit holders' parking bay
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.
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"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.
Posted by: Mr. Angry, Winchester on 2:14pm Wed 7 May 08
[bold]I think this is ridiculous, what is the point of having a parking permit if the council can just come along and do this, how much more money are they councils going to screw out of us genuinely parked public[/bold]
I think this is ridiculous, what is the point of having a parking permit if the council can just come along and do this, how much more money are they councils going to screw out of us genuinely parked public
Posted by: Ms Reasonable, Winchester on 2:42pm Wed 7 May 08
This is something that can, and does, happen wherever in the country there is a permit parking zone....yes, even when someone is on holiday. The system is: look out for suspensions and, if you go away for a while and leave your car, get a neighbour to keep a check for you. In the London boroughs parking bay suspensions are much more common and people so often find themselves in Miss Bagley's position that it is not news.
This is something that can, and does, happen wherever in the country there is a permit parking zone....yes, even when someone is on holiday. The system is: look out for suspensions and, if you go away for a while and leave your car, get a neighbour to keep a check for you. In the London boroughs parking bay suspensions are much more common and people so often find themselves in Miss Bagley's position that it is not news.
Posted by: Mr. Angry, Winchester on 3:13pm Wed 7 May 08
Ms Reasonable obviously works for the council. This is totally unreasonable and Miss Bagley was not told officially, only by word of mouth, totally out of order. A warning would be more appropriate.
Ms Reasonable obviously works for the council. This is totally unreasonable and Miss Bagley was not told officially, only by word of mouth, totally out of order. A warning would be more appropriate.
Posted by: Mr Also Angry, Winchester on 4:06pm Wed 7 May 08
There are far too many permits for the available residents bays so total incompetance at the city council should not be a surprise. Of course residents should be notified formally if bays are to be suspended and not by some randonm notice on a lamp post which seems to be theri preferred method. They seem know weel enough where we all live when it comes to collecting council tax. Besides we pay in full for our permits so why should the facility be withdrawn at all? What a rubbish and arrogant deparment this parking lot are.
There are far too many permits for the available residents bays so total incompetance at the city council should not be a surprise. Of course residents should be notified formally if bays are to be suspended and not by some randonm notice on a lamp post which seems to be theri preferred method. They seem know weel enough where we all live when it comes to collecting council tax. Besides we pay in full for our permits so why should the facility be withdrawn at all? What a rubbish and arrogant deparment this parking lot are.
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