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Anger as wardens ticket 50 Blackburn cars (From Blackburn Citizen)
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Anger as wardens ticket 50 Blackburn cars
7:40pm Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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- By David Watkinson » Chief reporter
FIFTY cars were ticketed by 'over zealous' parking wardens as residents struggled to park outside their homes because their streets had not been gritted.
Motorists reacted with fury to the early-morning swoops on cars that had been left on main roads in Blackburn.
In Livesey Branch Road around 30 cars were ticketed at 9am yesterday. Many were parked in an area where restrictions apply during school hours at nearby St Bede’s High which is closed for the Christmas break.
And there was a further swoop in Whalley Range where a similar number were targeted.
In both areas yellow lines on the streets were obscured by snow.
Coun Solly Khonat said the behaviour of the council wardens was an'absolute disgrace'” and 'a kick in the teeth' to people who were already struggling to cope on neighbourhood streets that were not gritted.
He said: “In 35 years I have never seen the council handle something as badly as the problems with the weather have been.
“People have told me that they will stop paying their council tax because of how angry they are.
“In any other situation those people should not have parked where they did but it was not safe to go on any of the smaller side streets."”
Jane Thomas, who lives in Livesey Branch Road, said: “It is appalling the way that the wardens have behaved. I saw it all happen this morning. First a council van went past and then about half an hour later two parking wardens were dropped off and spent 30 minutes putting tickets on all of the cars in sight.
“What happened to community spirit and all pulling together in tough times?
“It is dangerous down in the streets off Green Lane and Shorrock Lane and it was right of everyone to leave their cars on the main road, even if they shouldn’t have under normal circumstances."
Livesey with Pleasington councillor John Williams said: “The wardens should have been more sympathetic to the situation.
“They saw this as an easy hit and behaved awfully.”
Roy Lomas, who lives off Livesey Branch Road, said: “I couldn’t believe it when I saw the wardens. There was a lot of very angry people.”
Peter Hunt, the council's director of regeneration and environment, said 'challenges will be considered sympathetically'.
He said: "In weather conditions like these, the council's civil enforcement officers do use discretion when it is obvious that vehicles have been abandoned for safety reasons.
“In snowy, icy conditions, it is more important to keep traffic moving as freely as possibly, so drivers should park considerately."
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Your Say YourCitizen
pip-pip, says...
8:30pm Wed 23 Dec 09
Is Peter Hunt, as 'director of regeneration and environment', also in charge of the gritting wagons which conspicusly failed to achieve free moving traffic over the past few days? I think we should be told!
bossindian, Darwen says...
8:56pm Wed 23 Dec 09
cyberpaul, Blackburn says...
8:59pm Wed 23 Dec 09
You can imagine the scene in the wardens briefing room - " Achtung, achtung Kameraden. Ze terrible environmental criminals called drivers will be forced to abandon zer kars in ze snow. Ve vill do ze blitzkreig like our heroes did in France in 1940 und ve vill issue lots und lots of tickets ! Sieg Heil ! "
You would only get such disgraceful treatment of distressed and stranded human beings by low-lifes like wardens employed by scum like Blackburn Council.
burner, blackburn says...
9:05pm Wed 23 Dec 09
amazed, Darwen says...
9:20pm Wed 23 Dec 09
I enjoyed your pigeon German, ha, ha!!
It is a pity though that the situation is not funny.
BwD Council which I support because it is not Labour, do seem to be getting a few things wrong and certainly they are not compassionate.
If they want to retain the "people's confidence" I suggest they get a Peter Mandelson figure to smooth their approach. Unfortunately I think it is getting late in the day.
Come on, John Slater and your merry men - get your act together.
Tosh67, Blackburn says...
9:34pm Wed 23 Dec 09
cyberpaul wrote:superb, what a bunch of toss pots.these lunatics actually put a ticket on a car on shear brow that had crashed into a bus stop!the ticket said it was in a restricted area or other some such red tape language nonesene.Achtung vee hav ways of milking your cash Achtung.
The sad thing about this situation is that we would all be surprised if the Traffic Taliban HAD NOT ticketed stranded cars. We accept this outrageous and totally unfair attitude from the council because we are so used to being treated with disdain and contempt by officials of all kinds, especially if we commit the heinous crime of driving a motor-car. You can imagine the scene in the wardens briefing room - " Achtung, achtung Kameraden. Ze terrible environmental criminals called drivers will be forced to abandon zer kars in ze snow. Ve vill do ze blitzkreig like our heroes did in France in 1940 und ve vill issue lots und lots of tickets ! Sieg Heil ! " You would only get such disgraceful treatment of distressed and stranded human beings by low-lifes like wardens employed by scum like Blackburn Council.
devonrover, exmouth says...
9:46pm Wed 23 Dec 09
Tosh67, Blackburn says...
10:06pm Wed 23 Dec 09
devonrover wrote:only if you can prove your from frankfurt on a weekend visit to family,it doesnt wash with these theiving gits.more tickets they issue the more job security they have, regardless of challenges to the initial ticket, that costs money - usually the poor sod who has the ticket.
I do believe that if the yellow lines were not visible then they have no authority to issue tickets. challenge and they will be reversed!!
Stone Island, Blackburn says...
11:41pm Wed 23 Dec 09
.
A nice little Christmas bonus to be had there. A gift from God so to speak.
Davidoff, n/a says...
1:04am Thu 24 Dec 09
Davidoff, n/a says...
1:06am Thu 24 Dec 09
cutthebull, Blackburn says...
1:27am Thu 24 Dec 09
Mike Hock, Spiceville says...
1:44am Thu 24 Dec 09
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This really does call for a full public apology, and a reduction of £300 to those 'fined' which should be deducted from the wages of those responsible from top to bottom. It is bad enough, for many, to endure the stress (in this current snowy climate) to get to work, that takes taxes, to then find that the taxes do not provide enough (on top of their council tax) for those people to get to and from work on arterial routes. And in times of economic crisis, where every lost day at work costs lots of money, the council should be pushing the boat a long way out to ensure people can contribute to the economy.
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On a final note.... the Police refuse dogs that cannot be trained to follow orders issued by their handler who must act in accordance with the law. So, why employs PG Tips rejects who clearly do not understand the law regarding the governance of traffic management! It starts at the top and is bo!!oxed from top to bottom because of it.
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I should also state, I am not involved in receiving a ticket and never received a justifiable ticket.
warren2007, darwen says...
2:22am Thu 24 Dec 09
slackerbtch, Blackburn says...
4:38am Thu 24 Dec 09
If its not a double yellow line, which does not require an upright sign by law, then any other restriction MUST have a sign ertaining to the restriction imposed on that stretch of road - therefore anyone said stretch of road deserves the PCN issued.
spyderleg, blackburn says...
8:51am Thu 24 Dec 09
slackerbtch wrote:Is'nt jacob Marley looking for you Ebenezer....Sod off back to A Christmas Carol where you belong. You miserable git!!
Do I detect some posterior venting? These folk who are allegedy parking on the restrictions are locals yes? Who know there are parking restrictions thereupon? If its not a double yellow line, which does not require an upright sign by law, then any other restriction MUST have a sign ertaining to the restriction imposed on that stretch of road - therefore anyone said stretch of road deserves the PCN issued.
Mike Costa, Blackburn says...
9:07am Thu 24 Dec 09
You cant blame the traffic wardens. Ive worked alongside these people on the past and, lets face it, they arent the sharpest tools in the box. I mean, who but a complete numpty would want a job like that?
Unfortunately their managers are equally stupid, so there is no common sense applied to the situation. The council is crying out for a department of common sense to be created, but there doesnt appear to be anyone who can see this
barmyarmy63, blackburn says...
10:11am Thu 24 Dec 09
SilverbackGorilla, Darwen says...
2:25pm Thu 24 Dec 09
I think his middle name is Isaac!
Izanears, Nelson says...
3:45pm Thu 24 Dec 09
TenerifeBlue, los cristianos says...
4:06pm Thu 24 Dec 09
When is the next council election due?
You Prats!
5pixel, Blackbuirn says...
4:48pm Thu 24 Dec 09
Stone Island, Blackburn says...
5:52pm Thu 24 Dec 09
SilverbackGorilla wrote:Lmao....Classic. In all seriousness, he is though isn't he. In fact they all are.
"Peter Hunt, the council's director of regeneration and environment, said 'challenges will be considered sympathetically'." I think his middle name is Isaac!
robinjevansbnp, darwen says...
3:04am Fri 25 Dec 09
Very true. If signage isn't visible, (council responsibility) then charges are invalid.
iasiah fartwell, burnley says...
2:17pm Fri 25 Dec 09
PIP PIP
Tobermory, Wimbledon Common says...
8:52am Sat 26 Dec 09
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john the boss, great harwood says...
8:23pm Wed 23 Dec 09