Time limit not clearly signed

I was early for my gym class on Treadaway Hill and so decided to look in the charity shop at Flackwell Heath.

When I arrived, there was a traffic warden writing a ticket out for a vehicle parked directly outside the charity shop. Not wanting to get a ticket and not seeing any clear signs stating a time limit I asked the traffic warden was I safe to park there. He said: “For 20 minutes.”

So I went in to the charity shop. There were two very friendly shop assistants talking to a gentleman.

After around a minute of being in the shop myself, the gentleman walked outside only to return some moments later saying to the staff “I’ve got a ticket, I can’t have been in here 20 minutes?”

When he viewed the ticket it was shown that he had been there for 21 minutes.

A number of things struck me about this particular incident.

1) The warden was clearly patrolling that specific area waiting for vehicles to tick over the 20 minute mark.

2) The time limit is not clearly signed, particularly for people like me who are not familiar with Flackwell Heath.

3) The time limit of 20 minutes is not adequate to that particular area as many people like to rummage in a charity shop and may also like to visit the chip shop or the newsagents.

4) This practice is not great business for the Ian Rennie charity shop whose customers would feel rushed and put off from visiting.

5) The parking space, was not on double yellow lines, or blocking an entrance or exit.

I will be writing to the council to ask that they revoke this particular fine; I have the details of the vehicle as a witness. I would also ask that they extend the time allowed to park there.

I will also be requesting details from the council on the volume of fines and the revenue they produce at this particular location.

Along with this I will be asking for details of the targets (if any) that the wardens are asked to achieve and if this is really in the spirit of community and respect. — Philip Howell, Falcon Rise, Downley