Bolton town centre: Parking fine 'unfair' motorist says

James Peppard had parked his car on Ridgeway Gates, off Deansgate,  last Thursday (November 23) while taking a disabled friend to an appointment.

The 40-year-old parked the Range Rover with the disabled badge displayed in the windscreen.

It was only when he got back to his car and saw a parking ticket that he realised there were extremely faded lines that indicated there was once a loading bay there.

But according to the parking ticket, he had pulled up in a operational loading bay 'during restricted hours'.

The 40-year-old, who lives in South Manchester, said: "I wasn't there long, around 15 minutes. "The problem is the ticket inspector was only there for five minutes - it showed that he observed from 10.34am to 10.39am. 

James Peppard of Manchester appealed to Bolton Council about the issue (Image: Public)

"I was just thinking what the hell, how have I got a ticket when the marks aren't clear. 

"The markings have worn off. Start of the road tarmac has crumbled on the surface, it has been poorly maintained." 

James appealed the ticket and even Government guidelines state that authorities should not issue parking tickets if road markings are incorrect. 

But parking chiefs at Bolton Council rejected the appeal stating they were 'unable to waive the charge' due to him having parked in a 'loading bay'. 

James said: "You could class it as a scam that they do. They are not interested in getting road markings up, but charge people for parking. 

"With the cost of living and everything, it is hard to survive now, and with these scams they make the rich richer and the poor poorer. 

"Road markings that were there are not there anymore.

The evidence he was provided with by the parking warden (Image: Public)

"It would be good to get a response out of the council as to what they are going to do about these issues.

" I feel like I have been scammed, we pay our taxes, extortionate taxes, to maintain roads, but they are not interested in keeping them maintained." 

James said that his friend has a brain aneurysm, COPD and a lung disease. 

He said: "I was just dropping her off so she didn't have to struggle and walk, as she had an appointment in town. 

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “It’s council policy not to make comment on individual cases.

"Penalty Charge Notice’s (PCN’s) must follow the legislative process and representations need to be made officially for them to be recorded, drivers who wish to challenge a PCN can do so via the usual appeals process."

On its statutory guidance for local authorities, the Government website says: "Authorities should not issue PCNs when traffic signs or road markings are incorrect, missing or not in accordance with the TRO. These circumstances may make the order unenforceable.

"If a representation against a PCN shows that a traffic sign or road marking was defective, the authority should accept the representation because the adjudicator is likely to uphold any appeal."

The Citizens Advice website gives this guidance on appealing parking tickets when lines are unclear: 

"All car parks and roads with parking restrictions must have signs or road markings that make this clear. Your ticket should be cancelled if you can prove:

"You couldn’t see any road markings or signs; the signs or markings were hard to read – for example they’d faded or were hidden by trees."