Council defends decision to issue parking fines to people attending poppy day parade

Torbay council has been forced to defend its decision to issue over 30 parking fines to people who parked vehicles outside a Poppy Day parade in Paignton.

The town was hosting its Remembrance Sunday parade when a traffic warden was pictured by locals putting tickets on car windshields.

Residents criticised the traffic warden as a "jobsworth" and accused him of "disrespecting" the service to honour Britain's war dead, one even branding him a "little Hitler".

The Devon town's residents said it's usually free to park in New Street and Palace Avenue, next to the church and war memorial, on Sundays.

But the council explained that a temporary parking suspension has been in place for the past nine years in Palace Avenue on Remembrance Sunday for safety reasons but that this year was the first year motorists who parked there were issued penalty notices.

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They also said that they had put notices up from early November so people knew well in advance not to park there.

A Torbay Council spokesman told Yahoo news that parking was suspended on Palace Avenue, which was requested by the event organiser.

“This temporary parking suspension has been in place on Remembrance Sunday since 2010, however last year we encountered some issues with parked vehicles.

"We recognise the significance of this event, so to ensure safety and to allow the service to go ahead without any problems this year, we carried out a full enforcement of the parking suspension.

“Signage for the temporary restriction was in place from Monday 4 November.

"Any vehicles seen parking in contravention of the restriction were issued with a penalty charge notice, for which there is a full appeals process available.”

One person took the side of the council writing under the post: "The council put the suspension notices up in plenty of time. The suspension is there to keep those involved in the parade safe.

"If people can't abide by the law and have some respect on such an important day, they deserve to get a fine."