Rap for bus stop parking wardens

12:43pm Wednesday 9th July 2008

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THREE traffic wardens have been reprimanded after leaving their car at a bus stop while they went off to issue tickets to other errant drivers.

The trio parked a silver Nissan Micra car at the bus stop which sits outside Age Concern and almost directly opposite the ambulance station in Liscard Road, Wallasey.

All in uniforms, the wardens - contracted to Wirral Council from National Car Parks to enforce parking restrictions across Wirral - then strolled off in the direction of the shopping centre to the astonishment of passers-by.

The car - registration number DF03 SKZ - was even parked facing into oncoming traffic, and plastic wallets used when issuing parking tickets were scattered across the back seat.

The council has since admitted that the behaviour was “unacceptable” while NCP has both apologised and said the wardens - who are now officially called civil enforcement officers - have been “reminded” of the rules.

One outraged eyetwitness, who took pictures on his mobile phone and immediately sent them via picture message to the Globe, said: “I was absolutely staggered.

“My parents live further up Liscard Road towards the park where you are much further away from the shops, and I got a ticket there last week for admittedly parking on double yellows while I popped in for five minutes.

“I was incensed at the time, but it was my own fault for parking where I shouldn’t have been. But you can imagine how I felt when I saw this car pull into the bus stop packed full of traffic wardens.

“Even worse, the backseat was covered with the wallets they use to put the tickets in before they slap them on our windscreens. I just thought they were taking the mickey.

“What is this? One rule for them and another for the rest of us? And traffic wardens wonder why a lot of people have got it in for them!”

The Micra pulled in to the bus stop around 11.30am on Friday, June 27, and stayed there for at least an hour, breaking two clear rules in the Highway Code.

Rule 239 states that drivers should never “park facing against the traffic flow”, and rule 243 states that drivers should not park “at or near a bus or tram stop or taxi rank” - both rules the three wardens should be fully aware of in order to issue other people with tickets.

Dave Green, Wirral’s director of technical services, said: “This action is unacceptable and sets a bad example to Wirral residents.

“We will be demanding answers from NCP as to why this happened and ensuring that it does not happen in future.”

Tim Cowen, of NCP Services, which deploys civil enforcement officers for the council, said: “As a general rule it is acceptable for CEOs to park in what would otherwise be contravention, if they are carrying out enforcement duties and if there are two CEOs, so that one can move the vehicle if necessary.

“Usually this is only acceptable as a temporary measure, and we do believe in this instance the car was parked in contravention for longer than was acceptable.

“We have reminded the CEO in question of the guidance to ensure that this does not happen again.”