A DECISION to send police on patrol with council traffic wardens was today blasted as making a mockery of parking enforcement.
Council bosses and Lancashire Constabulary have confirmed that officers will routinely be sent out with Blackburn with Darwen Council's new traffic wardens in Whalley Range, Blackburn, and other areas.
Yesterday, four wardens were accompanied around Whalley Range by a police officer and a police community support officer, just days after a warden was threatened with violence in a parking ticket dispute.
The move came just weeks into the new system of parking enforcement aimed at freeing up police to tackle crime.
Breaches of traffic regulation orders are now punishable by the council. People are finding that rogue parking is now being clamped down on by the 20-strong team of wardens.
But Colin Rigby, leader of the Tory group on Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "Apparently, the whole purpose of the scheme was for us to take pressure off the police who apparently did not have the time to enforce the regulations.
"But it seems they do have the time to accompany our parking wardens around. It does seem like a waste of manpower.
"Parking enforcement is something which has needed doing in Blackburn for a very long time and while it might be working, sending the police out as well seems very strange."
Peter Hunt, director of direct services at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "This is part of our normal liaison with the police and their community support officers.
"It is obviously essential that we forge such links and we look at areas together. This applies to other parts of the borough as well and is nothing out of the ordinary."
Blackburn police confirmed they worked with the wardens to identify problems and highlight good practice within each area.
A meeting is due to take place later this week between police and the council about the incident in Whalley Range last week.
The council made a complaint to the police about it, prompting senior officers to warn they will clamp down on anyone involved in threatening the new attendants.
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