Chris Amery was dismayed to realise his ticket had flipped upside down (Picture: Liverpool Echo)
A dad has been left feeling ‘cheated’ after he purchased a pay and display ticket – but still managed to get a parking fine.
Chris Amery from Wirral, Merseyside had taken his two children to visit the World Museum in Liverpool earlier this year.
He paid for a pay and display ticket which he displayed on his car’s dashboard as he left the vehicle.
But when the family returned from their day out, a yellow parking fine awaited them.
The pay and display ticket had flipped upside down – perhaps in the wind when he closed his door – and a £50 charge was issued by a traffic warden as a result.
Chris, who works in the NHS, told the Liverpool Echo: ‘Clearly this was an innocent mistake as the ticket I purchased was valid until 1.35pm and me and my two children returned to the car to drive home following our visit to the World Museum at around 1.20pm.
‘I accept that the ticket must have flipped over on the dashboard – presumably while shutting the car door at the same time as ensuring the roadside safety of my two young children (aged four and five at the time) – it was clearly not a deliberate act.
‘Why would anyone with a valid parking ticket deliberately display it upside down?’
Chris said he understands the parking warden won’t have been able to see that he had purchased the pay and display ticket – but maintains that an appeal should be granted.
He eventually conceded defeat and paid the charge, but only to avoid the £50 charge increasing due to not paying within the time period ordered.
The 42-year-old said: ‘I was taken aback that Liverpool City Council refused to overturn it and I’m confident that any sensible person would consider any “contravention” here a technicality.’
Chris has now taken the issue to his local MP.
A Liverpool City Council spokesperson said: ‘Anyone who receives a parking ticket can appeal to the council. If they are unsuccessful they can take it to the independent Traffic Penalty Tribunal.’
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Chris Amery was left feeling ‘cheated’ following the fine.
