Traffic wardens in Southport are going to be subjected to abuse and threats after the MP for Southport said they targeted veterans on Remembrance Sunday.
Damien Moore, the Conservative MP for the town, condemned Sefton Council last night for administering “Fixed Penalty Notices (FPs) to Southport’s veterans and other motorists on Remembrance Sunday due to inoperative parking meters.”
He said “Those wishing to pay their respects at the Southport Cenotaph were unable to pay and display at locations including the Tulketh Street car park, with faulty parking meters resulting in nowhere issue payment for parking.
He said he was “informed that attendees to the service, and even veterans taking part in the parade, were quickly issued with FPNs, despite not having been given reasonable means to make payment.”
But the Council have hit back at the MP saying no fines were issued before 12 noon, half an hour after the service finished.
five fines were given to parked cars.
Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulation and Compliance, had responded to comments made by the MP for Southport over parking at the town’s Remembrance Sunday Service.
Cllr Lappin said: “It’s disappointing that the MP for Southport has issued his statement without first checking any facts.
“No Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) were issued during the Remembrance Sunday service in Southport.
“A total of five PCNs were issued to cars without valid payment in car parks in Southport Town Centre after 12pm on Sunday, including four PCNs issued to cars parked on Tulketh Street without evidence of valid payment.
“We were later made aware of an intermittent fault with the card payment transaction processing system which resulted in some people being unable to pay by card, or by cash.
“This fault was not something we had any control over and as soon as it was brought to our attention we stopped enforcement of paid-for parking places”
“While we do have an operational phone payment system and ability to pay via smartphone app, we will, as we always do, assess any appeal for tickets issued during this time and take into account these factors.
“Anyone who feels they did receive a ticket unjustly having tried to pay by card on Sunday November 12th should contact the council via parkingcc@sefton.gov.uk.
“The insinuation that our hard working Civil Enforcement Officers targeted those paying their respects is deliberately inflammatory and will no doubt add to the completely unnecessary and uncalled for abuse our officers receive while carrying out their jobs.”
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