He said he is disappointed he had to “educate” wardens “by complaining”
By Local Democracy Reporter Josh Mellor

A Walthamstow father has slammed “predatory parking wardens” who fined him twice when he had not parked illegally.

The father, who asked not to be named, was fined last October when he stopped in an out-of-order electric vehicle charging bay near the nursery on Harvey Road, Leytonstone, to drop his twins off.

He did so because, under London-wide rules, drivers are allowed to use charging bays for picking up and dropping off passengers or loading luggage.

His appeals to overturn the fines, initially rejected, were later accepted after he wrote emails to Waltham Forest Council’s chief executive, leader and deputy leader.

Deputy leader Clyde Loakes said the council’s enforcement officers have now been briefed to allow “an appropriate observation time” before fining someone parked in electric vehicle charging bay.

He added: “We’ll always work with local residents to create a positive experience when parking within the borough and welcome feedback if any of our residents feel we have fallen short of this aim through our website.”

However, the father said that, while he was pleased to see wardens changing their behaviour, it should not have been his responsibility “to educate them by complaining”.

He said: “Since I kicked off they said they’ve educated their wardens… but they should have known this already, that’s their job, that’s what they’re paid for.

“In the [council] newsletters, they seem to pretend to care about people’s financial and mental well-being and yet they’re treating drivers like this.

“I understand the council need money, we all do, but when they’re taking it off residents in this way, to me that’s toxic.”

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