I WAS fined after, in my view, being deliberately misled by a parking warden, who now denies all knowledge of ever seeing me!
One Saturday evening, my wife and I decided to go for a meal in Bury. We arrived at the Castle car park at about eight minutes to six. Free parking starts at 6pm and there happened to be a parking warden checking tickets when I arrived. I asked him if I needed to buy a ticket so close to the "free" time and he said not to bother "at this time of night".
When I returned an hour later, there was a ticket claiming that I had been in a parking place without a valid ticket from 17.53 to 17.58. Five whole minutes!
I immediately wrote to NCP claiming "entrapment", only to be told that the parking warden had not spoken to me and that the fine was still due. I wrote to the chief executive of Bury MBC who passed my letter to the borough engineer. I am still waiting for his reply.
I had the option of paying £30 within 14 days or £60 after that date. I elected to send a cheque for £30 with a covering letter explaining that the payment was in no way an admission of my guilt, and that I fully expected my money to be returned when common sense prevailed.
Having been told "not to bother" getting a parking ticket I feel that entrapment has taken place. One wonders if the parking wardens have a bonus system depending on the number of tickets issues. I was easy prey to this "deception".
With this behaviour by NCP employees it is little wonder that people like myself now avoid Bury and go to places where the parking is less expensive. The town will lose by it.
IAN WATTS,
Ainsworth.
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