Dad fined £4,000 for parking on yellow lines he fought to have painted

A dad has racked up £4,000 in parking fines on yellow lines outside his home after campaigning to get them painted.

Scott Taylor, 33, called for the council to paint lines on his road in Salford after his daughter, four, was injured being hit by a car.

He hoped it would reduce the numbers of cars parking on the street so it would be easier for people to cross.

The double yellows were painted around 18 months ago but Scott continued to park outside his house as he had before.

He insists the lines painted outside his home were a mistake and claims Salford Council told residents that gaps would be left so they could still park there.

When he realised they were being painted he rushed to tell a contractor who told him it was too late.

He said: ‘The guy who did it told me he was sorry but he couldn’t get them up and told me to call the council.

‘I got a letter and they just told me to apply to a funding scheme.

‘I’ve had about £4,000 in parking tickets and I’ve had to pay a bailiff £400 when he clamped my car.’

The council argues the lines have been painted correctly and that Scott is able to park in an area of unrestricted parking further down the road.

But Scott says he has to park outside his house at night because of the rules of his car insurance – and that he has no choice but to take his chances.

He said: ‘How can I leave my car somewhere else when it says in my insurance that it’s parked outside my house at night? I’m getting in a lot of debt.

‘I want them to come out and fix it. I feel like they are just fobbing me off.’

His family do have a driveway, but they have two cars and it only fits one, Scott argues.

A spokesman for Salford City Council said: ‘This section of parking restrictions was put in to protect access to Southworth Court for emergency vehicles and refuse trucks when the traffic order was made in November 2017.

‘All the properties on Mayan Avenue have off road parking and a significant length of the road is not restricted so there is no reason for anyone to park illegally.

‘The parking fines have been correctly issued. We are happy to discuss this issue with Mr Taylor to try and find a resolution.’