Drivers' Parking Ticket Victory

Drivers' Parking Ticket Victory
By Ross Smith (0191)201-6286 ross.smith@ncjmedia.co.uk

A Blundering North council is being forced to refund £21,000 in parking fines after admitting it failed to put proper rules in place.

Sunderland Council last night confessed legal orders necessary to fine people for parking in taxi ranks had not been correctly implemented.

That means 700 parking tickets handed out for the offence since 2003 are invalid.

The council is now asking anyone who has paid a £30 fine for parking on a taxi rank to get in touch for a refund.

The news comes days after The Journal revealed claims that all parking tickets within Sunderland City Centre could be invalid due to the absence of proper legal orders.

The council insists that is not the case but has admitted the error relating to taxi ranks.

Director of development and regeneration Phil Barrett said: "Although the issue of these tickets was an error and is regrettable, it affected only a very small proportion of the 61,000 plus tickets issued since the decriminalised parking system came into force in February 2003.

"It is an anomaly relating to the implementation of just one aspect of the city's parking system.

"The decriminalised parking system itself remains legally robust and valid, ensuring the safe and efficient moving and parking of vehicles throughout the city for the benefit of public and businesses alike."

The council is now taking steps to correct the error. It said that parking on the city's 14 taxi ranks is illegal - but that traffic wardens currently have no power to hand out fixed penalties.

Last night, political campaigner Neil Herron, who raised the claims about the absence of parking orders, said: "I think this is the tip of a very large iceberg which is about to be uncovered."

Conservative group leader on the council Peter Wood said: "Proper parking arrangements are clearly important in the city to keep traffic running smoothly.

"When the wheel comes off like this, then really you begin to lose faith in the people who are meant to be administering these schemes."

Anyone who thinks they are entitled to a refund should call (0191) 553-1521.