Free Parking in Poole ... council suspends enforcement

Remember the picture of the Mayor's car parking 'illegally' in Poole ... read the story here ... and we pointed out that it wasn't parked 'illegally' because the Loading Bay it was parked in was illegal ... and therefore constituted free parking.

Well, a reporter from the Dorset Daily Echo went out and confirmed that the Loading Bay 'just didn't measure up.'

As a result the council have confirmed that enforcement in the bay has been suspended.

Richard Hein, parking services manager at the Borough of Poole, said: "We are currently conducting a borough-wide audit of all traffic regulations orders in Poole to ensure all parking bays, signs and lines comply with existing legislation.
"The council does not pursue normal enforcement procedures where parking areas are identified as failing to meet appropriate guidelines.
"We will carry out an audit of the Kingland Road service road as a matter of priority and have informed our parking services staff not to enforce there until this matter is resolved."

So there we have it. Another council caught out ignoring the legislation ... and yet still issuing fines. Will be checking out their application to the Department for Transport to see who was responsible for telling the Department for Transport that all the lines and signs would be correct and in force when they began Decriminalised Parking Enforcement after being granted permission by the Secretary of State in 2002.

Time for a public enquiry yet considering the level of local authority misconduct across the country?