Parking adjudicator slams Merton Council's underhand parking ticket and orders parking ticket cancelled after "underhand" methods used to issue the ticket!

Astonishingly Merton council are hiring undercover private motor cars as the civil enforcement officers [sic] to issue parking fines to motorists.   What is worrying is that in the case in question one of the so called civil enforcement officers was not in uniform.

Even more astonishing the council has insisted that it is “normal practice” to use these clandestine methods and on BBC Radio London confirmed that other councils used these strategies too.

The ploy was uncovered when Derek Anderson a 54 year old electrician, got his a parking ticket cancelled after he stopped outside Raynes Park station in London. As he went to pay money for a pay and display ticket two men drove up behind his car in what he described as an “an old banger” and issued a penalty charge notice.

He said that the driver was not dressed in a uniform, inspected his vehicle's tax disc before signalling towards his colleague in the vehicle, who gave out the penalty charge notice. At first Mr Anderson thought it was two of cowboy wardens,” said Mr Anderson.  He then went on to say that , “...... it appears they are completely supported by the management at Merton council.”

He appealed  in an appeal to the council but was advised that wardens do not have to be dressed in uniforms as long as they are driving furthermore do not physically give out the ticket.

He then appealed to the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service, which overturned the ticket.

Joanne Oxlade, an adjudicator from the independent body, stated “I do consider that the methods are underhand.” and ordered the local authority to cancel the parking ticket.

However, Merton council's director of environment and regeneration Chris Lee defended the techniques saying: “We use unmarked cars for our officers' personal safety and to protect cars from being vandalised, which has happened in the past.”
Barrie Segal of AppealNow.com was interviewed on Eddie Nestor's Drive Time programme on BBC Radio London and crticised the underhand methods used.  He said " It was disgraceful and belies the claims that councils make that parking enforcement is transparent ad not about making money."

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