I HAVE just read, with great delight, that a Bolton Council vehicle was issued with a parking ticket whilst working in the town, “Booked as staff spread festive cheer” (November 18).

The phrase “what’s good for the goose” springs to mind.

I work as a delivery driver in Bolton and my route includes the town centre, and the number of times that I see council vehicles either illegally parked or parked in the scarce loading bays and ignored by the traffic wardens continually frustrates me.

Add this to the ridiculous one-way system that is gradually being introduced and it’s little wonder that businesses and shoppers are deserting the town centre.

I recently got two parking tickets in the same week, one whilst parked in a loading bay while making a delivery (five minutes) and the other for loading in a restricted area because, you’ve guessed it, a Bolton Council vehicle was parked for over an hour (not loading) in the nearest loading bay.

When I remonstrated with the traffic warden he informed me that the council vehicle was allowed to park there for 20 minutes.

Seems like double standards to me.

I learned when I went to the Parking Shop at Minerva House that the council rejects nearly all first phase contested tickets and only when you take it further do officers actually look at the circumstances.

Being self employed and working 11 to 12 hours a day, I don’t have the council’s time or luxury to have somebody else sort out matters of wrongly issued parking tickets.

As delivery drivers, we don’t really want to be in the town centre for longer than is necessary, we’re there to do a job and get out.

Without us, the council wouldn’t receive its post/documents and businesses wouldn’t receive the goods that they sell, but because of the lack of loading areas and the one-way system, it is taking us longer and longer to do the drops, thus increasing the congestion in the town. Marvellous!

A council spokesman says they “will investigate why their vehicle was issued with a ticket”. Let me save them some taxpayers’ money, they were illegally parked, now pay your fine like the rest of us.

A message to the council: “Beware the monster you create.”

N Watson, Horwich