Motorists should make sure they are parked correctly between the white lines and not touching them
OVERZEALOUS TRAFFIC WARDENS could be damaging footfall in Enniskillen town centre according to one man who recently received a ticket for ‘doing a good turn’.
The issue came to light when Fermanagh GAA PRO Johnny McManus was doing a message in Enniskillen town centre. He parked beside Robert Dickie and Son’s Hardware shop in the Down Street Car park unaware that despite buying a ticket he would face of fine of at least £45.
“I wouldn’t usually be in Enniskillen town centre much, I could count the times on one hand, but I had to go to the county office and get Ulster final tickets and was doing a message for my mother.
“When I came into the carpark there was a ball of stuff going on, they were unloading items from trailers and a bit of a queue. There was only one space left and it was beside a mother.
“She was getting a child out of the back seat of the car so obviously I gave them a bit of room.”
He returned to his vehicle around half an hour later to find a ticket despite having 10 minutes remaining of time.
“I saw this thing on I car which I thought at first was a Pizza Hut leaflet, but when I looked closely it was a ticket. I couldn’t understand it, My fine had been issued at 15.08 yet my ticket wasn’t up until 15.40. I rang the number and they told me there was something else wrong. I checked inside and I had been done for being over the lines.”
Johnny was issued a fine for breaching code 86 of the Roads Service’s Northern Ireland Contravention Codes for off-street car parks which states: ‘Not parked wholly within the markings of the bay/ space’.
He admitted his frustration, as he had not hindered anyone else parking in the adjacent spaces and had just simply been trying to do a ‘good turn’.
“It seemed a wee bit petty, if I had got a ticket because my time had been up at 3pm then fair enough, but just for parking seems a little harsh. The other two bays were filled beside me as I was barely obstructing the other space. It is frustrating when it seems a little common sense could have prevailed.
“It could put people off, I told about three or four people after it and it could put them off going to the town. I live in Newtownbutler and people head into Enniskillen as a last resort. They know it is going to be a nightmare with traffic and parking and this certainly won’t help. I didn’t know parking was included in the fines, but I will know for again.”
Johnny intends to write to Roads Service in the hope of having his fine overturned.
“I will appeal it, there’s no point throwing £45 at it. I don’t have a clue if it will be successful as it’s my first time doing it, but I will give it a shot.”
A member of the Enniskillen business community claimed that the majority of the ‘red coats’ in the town are ‘cruel’.
“Even in this weather that doesn’t matter with them. The southerners have been crucified by them and that has probably contributed to them not coming back up as much. It would be much better if they advised and helped people and at times give them a little bit of leeway.”
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