Shoppers and workers are furious after being caught out by a bank holiday parking blitz

Over recent years bank holidays were treated as Sundays allowing people to park on North Hill and along the High Street unrestricted.

But over the Easter weekend Colchester Council wardens blitzed the town issuing numerous £60 fines to motorists.

The council remained unrepentant this week, saying it was the drivers' responsibility to check what parking restrictions were in force.

Carole King, manager of Bottoms Up in High Street, was among drivers given a ticket on Easter Monday. She said: "I have been the manager here for five years and bank holidays have always been the same as Sundays.

"Shoppers have come in to the store and said they will never shop in Colchester again. Everywhere you go bank holidays are treated as Sundays.

"It is totally unfair. Why not put warning notices on cars instead of fines?"

She urged everyone who had been given a ticket to complain to Colchester Council.

John Simpson, head of street services at Colchester Council, said: "Obviously, it is incumbent on the driver of the vehicle to ensure they are parking without contravening traffic restrictions which are enforced.

"If people have received a ticket and they are concerned about it, they can appeal. Each individual case will be looked into carefully."

The council said it is unable to give figures for how many tickets were issued, despite motorists being able to pay the fines from yesterday.

Money from the fines goes to pay off the Essex County Council loan issued to set up the warden service. Once that is honoured, fines will go towards improving traffic infrastructure

Published Wednesday, April 23, 2003

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