Bognor Regis businessman has parking fine cancelled after mix-up

Norman Butcher was given the excess charge when he parked along Marine Drive West.

The fine was handed out by a parking attendant despite Mr Butcher displaying a valid parking voucher.

Issued by West Sussex County Council, this states 'valid only in West Sussex on-street charged parking areas'.

But this excludes Marine Drive West, though this is not stated on the voucher.

Mr Butcher faced a 30 excess charge, which would be reduced to 15 for prompt payment, because he failed to obtain the correct parking ticket from a nearby machine.

His wife, who was parked in the next parking space, also received an excess charge for the same reason.

The money has to be paid to Arun District Council, which collects it on the county council's behalf.

"There's absolutely no excuse for giving us the parking fines," said Mr Butcher, who owns Control Automations in the town centre.

"I've used vouchers before to park on that stretch of road without any problem.

"I'm not aware there's been any change of policy. The situation is stupid. The parking attendant was understanding but he said he had to give us the excess charge.

"The councils are working together to fine us but are not working together for the parking."

To make matters worse, Chichester resident Mr Butcher paid 40p for his voucher to give him 40 minutes of parking last Thursday lunchtime. Paying at the kerbside machine would have allowed him to stay for an hour for 30p.

A county council spokeswoman said the penalty charge would be cancelled.

The parking situation along Marine Drive West was a on-off around Bognor.

It was a county council-run parking area distinct from the controlled parking zone around the town centre for which the vouchers were intended to be used.

The anomaly would be removed when the parking zone was reviewed in 2011, she stated.

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