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A PAIGNTON man was flabbergasted after witnessing a parking warden book a working scaffolding vehicle in Torquay.
Gary Adams, 37, of Preston looked on in amazement as a parking attendant slapped a ticket on the vehicle despite workers pleading that they were unloading equipment for work in Fleet Walk.
He took a picture and sent it to the Herald Express saying: "It was unbelievable."
Torbay Council says companies need to contact them beforehand to arrange a permit for any loading or unloading.
Boss of the scaffolding company ISCA, Len Rollason, said they worked across the county and this was an issue unique to Torbay.
Mr Adams was in town when the incident unfolded.
He said: "My wife phoned the landline of the scaffolding company to advise them of the situation but as the scaffold was completely covered by plastic, they could not see the warden who was circling their works vehicle.
"I personally approached the warden to say it was a working vehicle and you could clearly see it was there to facilitate the scaffold work.
"When I said why don't you phone the number on the vehicle if you want it moved, his words were 'I'm not wasting my credit on ringing them'.
"He would not budge even after a worker spoke through the plastic tarpaulin to advise that they were loading.
"The vehicle was not blocking the seven buses trying to navigate the pedestrianised area, so what was the issue?"
He urged Torbay Council, which has approved the business case to take back parking enforcement in-house from NSL services group, to 'give the company a break'.
He added: "Perhaps when Torbay Council retake the contract next year they may employ people with common sense."
In a statement Torbay Council said: "We are unable to comment on individual parking penalties as they are part of legislative process, and there is an appeals process for motorists to follow if they feel there are mitigating circumstances which led up to the notice being issued.
"Fleet Walk is a pedestrianised area and the safety of members of the public needs be taken into account. Vehicles can load and unload before 10am in the morning and after 6pm.
"If any company wants to load or unload during the restricted hours they can contact Torbay Council's Parking Services in advance to obtain advice.
"All the relevant information is collected and other departments in the council are consulted before a decision is made to ensure the safety of pedestrians.
"Details of the full appeals service and instructions on how to challenge enforcement action is included on the reverse of penalty charge notices."
Mr Rollason of ISCA, which has bases in Crediton and Paignton, said: "This is something particular to Torbay that you have to buy a permit in advance. We have to park all over Devon with our job on yellow lines and elsewhere but you have to use your common sense and not block roads."
(ThisisSouthDevon.Co.UK)
Gary Adams, 37, of Preston looked on in amazement as a parking attendant slapped a ticket on the vehicle despite workers pleading that they were unloading equipment for work in Fleet Walk.
He took a picture and sent it to the Herald Express saying: "It was unbelievable."
Torbay Council says companies need to contact them beforehand to arrange a permit for any loading or unloading.
Boss of the scaffolding company ISCA, Len Rollason, said they worked across the county and this was an issue unique to Torbay.
Mr Adams was in town when the incident unfolded.
He said: "My wife phoned the landline of the scaffolding company to advise them of the situation but as the scaffold was completely covered by plastic, they could not see the warden who was circling their works vehicle.
"I personally approached the warden to say it was a working vehicle and you could clearly see it was there to facilitate the scaffold work.
"When I said why don't you phone the number on the vehicle if you want it moved, his words were 'I'm not wasting my credit on ringing them'.
"He would not budge even after a worker spoke through the plastic tarpaulin to advise that they were loading.
"The vehicle was not blocking the seven buses trying to navigate the pedestrianised area, so what was the issue?"
He urged Torbay Council, which has approved the business case to take back parking enforcement in-house from NSL services group, to 'give the company a break'.
He added: "Perhaps when Torbay Council retake the contract next year they may employ people with common sense."
In a statement Torbay Council said: "We are unable to comment on individual parking penalties as they are part of legislative process, and there is an appeals process for motorists to follow if they feel there are mitigating circumstances which led up to the notice being issued.
"Fleet Walk is a pedestrianised area and the safety of members of the public needs be taken into account. Vehicles can load and unload before 10am in the morning and after 6pm.
"If any company wants to load or unload during the restricted hours they can contact Torbay Council's Parking Services in advance to obtain advice.
"All the relevant information is collected and other departments in the council are consulted before a decision is made to ensure the safety of pedestrians.
"Details of the full appeals service and instructions on how to challenge enforcement action is included on the reverse of penalty charge notices."
Mr Rollason of ISCA, which has bases in Crediton and Paignton, said: "This is something particular to Torbay that you have to buy a permit in advance. We have to park all over Devon with our job on yellow lines and elsewhere but you have to use your common sense and not block roads."
(ThisisSouthDevon.Co.UK)