Parking tickets cancelled for being 'unenforceable'

A council has had to cancel parking tickets handed to parents outside a school after it failed to renew a traffic order enforcing double yellow lines in the street.

Furious parents took to social media accusing East Lothian Council of deliberately targeting them after they were handed fines for parking ‘illegally’ outside Dunbar Primary School on Monday as they dropped children off for a trip.

But while the local authority backed its parking attendants actions it was quickly forced into a u-turn after discovering the traffic order which enforced the ban had run out two years ago.

It now faces having to cancel and refund any parking fines issued on the street over the last two years despite the fact drivers ignored signs warning of a parking ban and left their vehicles on marked double yellow lines.

On Monday morning parents reacted with anger after they returned to their cars after dropping children off for camp to find fines on their windscreens.

Mum Anna Ross said on Facebook she was ‘absolutely raging’ after the parking attendants turned up “knowing full well that parents will need to park in order to help their wee ones carry their bags to school and see them off on the bus”.

Another parent added: “It is an absolute disgrace the warden being there.”

Local ward councillor Donna Collins said the tickets had been cancelled but warned parents a new order would be brought in to make them enforceable soon.

She said: “After speaking with our roads team and asking them to verify the legality of the tickets, it was discovered that the Traffic Order to ensure tickets were legal was not in place.

“All seven tickets issued on Monday have been cancelled but please be advised that the council will be ensuring that this order will be back in place ASAP, so please try not to park on the double yellows on in the bus stop at Hallhill car park in the future.”

East Lothian Council have been approached for comment.