Leicestershire police in training exercise get £70 parking fines
Police officers taking part in a training exercise were astonished to find their unmarked cars had been ticketed by parking wardens.
The officers, from the police's tactical support unit, fell foul of a parking attendant in Leicester city centre yesterday.
Three officers, who were conducting a mock search of the Athena wedding and entertainment venue, in Rutland Street, received £70 fines for parking on the pavement outside the building.
They had been assured by Athena managers the area was private land and, therefore, the cars could not be ticketed.
Marked police vehicles nearby were not ticketed when the warden fined the three officers at 11am.
Leicestershire police and the city council were last night trying to determine whether or not the tickets should have been issued. The force said the £70 fines would be paid if it was established the officers were illegally parked.
Hira Ram, events manager at Athena, said: "The police officers had permission from me to park where they did. This piece of land is owned by Athena and the Land Registry will confirm that is the case.
"I have issues with this every weekend, particularly with wedding cars. Some wardens give tickets out and some don't."
A spokesperson for Leicester City Council said: "We can confirm that our contractors, Vinci Park Services Ltd, ticketed three cars outside of the Athena.
"We are seeking clarification to determine if the cars were parked on private land, or on the highway. If the cars were parked on private land, the tickets will be revoked."
12 Comments
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by Andy, Leicester
Monday, September 06 2010, 10:25PM
“And the benefit of fining the police is what exactly? We pay for the admin of the parking contractors, the city council to administer the contractors and the police who actually pay the fine, who can ill afford to do so. Nobody benefits!
Common sense; scrap the tickets come what may. The police were on police business. Simples!”
by Graham, Whetstone
Sunday, September 05 2010, 5:47PM
“Two spelling mistakes and two superfluous capital letters in one sentence is why you should read more, Michael...”
by michael, Markfield
Friday, September 03 2010, 8:52PM
“Reading this Rubish is why I dont by the Paper.”
by David, leics
Friday, September 03 2010, 7:15PM
“It is interesting o see that the "parking wardens" in Leicester have a great diversity!
It is a shame this is not reflected in the street cleaners, bin men, or any of the outdoor manual jobs that the council employees people to do.
Maybe it is because they are not capable of doing the job? it seems they are not capable of parking enforcement either?”
by anon, anon
Friday, September 03 2010, 6:21PM
“kulgan, i DO say so so i take it u agree? u want to try arguing with bureaucrats when ur not a police officer before u assume justice is just as easy for the common man.”
by Jane, Another Planet
Friday, September 03 2010, 4:48PM
“:)”
by steve, Blaby
Friday, September 03 2010, 2:02PM
“They do own a strip of land currently being investigated but not wide enough to park the cars in that way. Perhaps police should not believe all they are told???as I am sure they often do.”
by MrA, leics
Friday, September 03 2010, 2:02PM
“yawn yawn yawn..
and this is newsworthy?”
by Kulgan, Crydee
Friday, September 03 2010, 12:31PM
“If you say so.
Anon, read the pertinent sentence from Hira Ram: "The police officers had permission from me to park where they did. This piece of land is owned by Athena and the Land Registry will confirm that is the case."
If the Land Registry confirm its private land then the parking tickets are invalid and will be revoked.
It's not rocket science.”
by anon, anon
Friday, September 03 2010, 12:22PM
“you'd believe anything kulgan.”