'Wrights pie cost me £35'
FATHER-OF-THREE David Martin was hit with a £35 fine after leaving his car for just 57 seconds – to buy a pie.
The 63-year-old's car was snapped by the council's 'spy vehicle' on double yellow lines in Tunstall's Tower Square while he was out buying his dinner.
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YELLOW LINES: Dave Martin outside Wrights in Tower Square, Tunstall. Picture: Christopher Huthwaite
Mr Martin, of Castle Road, Mow Cop, has been making the weekly trip to the town's Wrights Pies branch for five years but has never been issued with a fixed penalty notice before.
He said: "I went to Wrights at about 11.30am to try and beat the lunch time rush. There wasn't a queue so I was served straight away. I was in and out in less than a minute.
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"I have been pulling up outside the shop for years and there has never been a problem before, but they were the most expensive pies I have ever bought."
Stoke-on-Trent City Council's enforcement car clocked Mr Martin pulling up outside the store at 11.27:34 and then leave at 11.28:31.
Mr Martin, who works at Longport-based DeSeM Lifts, paid the £70 fine within 14 days to reduce the penalty to £35.
He said: "I have seen that car loads of times before. It always circulates around Tower Square because it knows cars around there are easy targets.
"If it was a traffic warden who gave me the parking ticket I am sure they could have used their discretionary powers and just given me a warning.
"I won't go to Tunstall anymore because it is not worth the risk of getting another fine."
The Sentinel reported last month how 688 motorists were caught parking illegally in Tower Square in the last 18 months.
Delivery driver Andrew Talbot claims he had only stopped in the town for about 30 seconds while dropping off his son at the opticians when he was hit with a £35 fine.
Mr Talbot, aged 47, of Chell Green Avenue, Tunstall, said: "My son has Asperger's Syndrome and I am teaching him to do things for himself, so I was just sat outside watching him, to make sure he was okay, when I saw the van going round me.
"I drove off again and came back around. I must have stopped for about 30 seconds when I picked up my son and I got a fine."
Councillor Ruth Rosenau, cabinet member for transportation, said: "The car is used to enforce parking restrictions. It is clearly marked and is there to deter motorists from parking or driving in areas which cause road safety issues, congestion, hazards and obstructions for other road users."
25 Comments
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by Basha
Wednesday, February 20 2013, 7:25AM
“If you don't provide free parking, car drivers will stop visiting the town centres. No wonder that the town centre shops are deserted and many shops are closing down. Car parking in city centres should be free. It is free in the out of town shopping centres and supermarkets.”
by stokeandvale
Tuesday, February 19 2013, 11:17AM
“Simples, dont park on Yellow lines.”
by Pinchofsalt
Monday, February 18 2013, 4:56PM
“Absolutely bang-on, Potter46. Add to that the fact that most of these yellow plates mysteriously cause the car's indicators to stop working, enable them to park facing on-coming traffic with headlights on and ALWAYS insist the driver tries his best to place the car into the boot of the vehicle in front. . . . .”
by Huey_Hog
Thursday, February 14 2013, 7:37PM
“Kenny95 the basic rules re dropping off and loading are covered by mrb instoke. Google "assisted alighting" for accompanying vulnerable people into buildings. I recommend searching pepipoo for it as well.”
by Huey_Hog
Thursday, February 14 2013, 7:25PM
“Go here and download the PDF:
https://http://tinyurl.com/b4f7uf9”
by Snaggletoooth
Thursday, February 14 2013, 6:21PM
“Surely Mr Martin was merely "loading or unloading" his Wrights pie,which is permitted on double yellow lines?”
by mrb__instoke
Thursday, February 14 2013, 5:44PM
“http://tinyurl.com/bkcd2hg”
by Kenny95
Thursday, February 14 2013, 3:00PM
“@Huey-hog
Where can I find the rule that says you can park on double yellow lines if you are escorting a vulnerable passenger into a building? I have checked some of the government websites but cannot find this rule?
I think I may have asked you this before when you made a simular comment on a different story but you never answered.”
by roob57
Thursday, February 14 2013, 2:43PM
“Park up and walk, the exercise will do you good by getting rid of some of those calories from stuffing pies down your neck.”
by WebMonkey1
Thursday, February 14 2013, 1:57PM
“Juzzah, I know what your saying, but during dinner time, you'r lucky to find a space.
Rule of thumb, park in a car park-even if you don't pay, you won't get an instant fine like this chap.”