Traffic Warden Gets His Just Desserts

[mattjbatch]

Made my day this one

A TRAFFIC warden boss has been sacked for cancelling a ticket handed out when he and his team illegally parked on a yellow line to have a lunch break.

Control Plus supervisor Martin Potts lost his job because a penalty notice was voided after it was slapped on the car he and three wardens had left outside a cafe in the centre of Manchester.

The ticket was issued by a rookie warden who did not realise the people carrier was owned by his own company.

When he spotted the wardens' caps on the back seat, he was horrified. And Potts was then caught on camera by the M.E.N. as he snatched the ticket from the screen and stormed back towards the cafe, shaking his head in disbelief and showing the £40 penalty notice to his friends.

The supervisor, who was a front seat passenger in the car, was sacked after it was claimed he persuaded the rookie to cancel the ticket.

Potts denied the allegation.

A former colleague of Potts said that after booking the vehicle, the new warden asked his colleagues what he should do - and the ticket was then voided.

After a disciplinary hearing, Control Plus sacked Potts for cancelling the ticket.

The former colleague said: "I think he's been made a scapegoat and I think the decision to sack him was taken well before the disciplinary hearing - there's a lot more to it than just the ticket.

"What surprises me was that he was the only one sacked and he wasn't even driving the vehicle."

A spokesman for Control Plus said it was "totally inappropriate behaviour" for members of staff.

The spokesman added: "Our staff are not above the law.

"Any one of them who breaks parking regulation is subject to the same parking controls as any member of the public."

If Potts and his pals had looked at their own firm's guide book, they would have known Dorsey Street was not a good place to park.

The street is on L beat, and patrols are told: "Casual parkers tend to be a problem on this beat."

A spokesman for Manchester City Council said: "Control Plus undertook an internal investigation culminating in a disciplinary hearing. As a result of this, the employee has been dismissed.

"The council and Control Plus will accept only the highest levels of integrity and honesty.

"This demonstrates we are serious about dealing with matters when these high standards are not met."

09/04/2003

TICKET: A warden fills out the form

SHOCK: The wardens return from lunch

CAUGHT: The ticket is removed

Manc Evening News

[mybrainhurts]

Result..........!!

I avoid Manchester because of these jobsworths. I ain't spending my money there if I'm not welcome.

..........So there!

[williamp]

You have no idea ho wmuch I hate them in Maidstone.

They park in double yellow lines and in Disabled parking bays and then catch other motorists who park in car parks but whos tickets have run out.

I now carry a camera in my car at all times. The next time I see them They're history. If the national press wont listen the local press surely will...

[planetdave]

Where is it possible to park in a major city without enormous hassle these days? The numpty level of traffic wardens has always been legendary and the abuse now that it has gone private is surprising . Parking in town is a victim of car popularity (surprising eh) compounded with the lack of urban/traffic planning. Just glad this bunch got exposed as the shites they are.

[pbrettle]

Excellent - deserves to be sacked. No doubt that he will try some sort of 'unfair dismissal' case, but will be thrown out.... monkey.

[trefor]

We were in Bologna for a short holiday the past 3 days ... and got a parking ticket for parking validly, I even paid for the parking, car was in the bay etc. and the ticket was definitely where they would expect to see it and it had over 1hr left to run when we got back to the car. As if I was going to pay it anyway ...

Anyone who has been it an Italian city knows how people park ... and I get a ticket for being a good boy.

(Italian registered hire car BTW, I wasn't obviously a foreign tourist).

T/.

[Hates_]

Ok is it just me or do those photo's look fake. In the second one, the traffic warden with white hair has no legs. It looks like he was photoshoped onto the photo

hmmm or maybe I'm just blind. I think maybe that is some geezer behind the warden with the glasses

>> Edited by Hates_ on Thursday 10th April 14:03

[mybrainhurts]

Must admit, though, they are useful sometimes.

Booked a whole line of police cars in Bakewell a few years ago...........

[pdv6]

The firkin wardens round here roll up in their car/van & park illeagally next to the cars they're about to ticket.

Now forgive me if I've got this wrong, but Shirley the reason its illegal to park there in the 1st place is because it would cause an obstruciton? Why do the wardens get away with making said obstruction worse whilst dishing out tickets

And don't get me started on the tow-trucks that they then call in, double parking & causing traffic chaos...

[boosted ls1]

If you take a look at parkingticket.co.uk you will see that certain vehicles are allowed to park 'illegally' whilst on business. You may also see how to get your next ticket revoked. If you break down you could phone the AA or similar and have your call logged. If you manage to start your car without the roadside assistance you could cancel the help and write to the traffic wardens dept telling them why your car was there in the first place. If you break down you could phone them direct to advise them.

[alex200mph]

Oh shame my heart bleeds!

>> Edited by alex200mph on Thursday 10th April 22:30