Forum Topic

Traffic wardens - immune to the law??

Can someone tell me if traffic wardens are allowed to break parking laws in order to enforce parking laws, as this seems a bit barmy to me.I live beside a car park in Ealing and I see them all day stopping and waiting in resident only bays, pay and display zones, on yellow lines and even in disabled bays. If I photograph them can I report them?I also don't understand why I see far more parking wardens than police officers when I'm out and about in town, are parking laws of such importance that they need greater enforcement that other laws??

John Totes ● 4699d3 Comments

The bottom line is yes, they are. It is justified on the basis that they often need to break parking laws whilst performing their duties, basically! On balance, and as annoying as it might be, you can nonetheless kind of understand the logic behind it. Would you expect an ambulance or police car to seek legal parking spaces whilst attending the scene of an accident? The parking Taliban are not an emergency service of course, but they are nonetheless employed by the council to perform a specific task, and as such must also be exempt from parking restrictions in order to carry out their duties effectively. 

Robert Rosamond ● 4697d

JohnSnap away and then copy the images to your local councillors and the 'ever popular' Cllr. Basaam Mahfouz who has cabinet responsibility for this function. I'd be interested in their/ his response.

Nigel Brooks ● 4698d

"I also don't understand why I see far more parking wardens than police officers when I'm out and about in town, are parking laws of such importance that they need greater enforcement that other laws??"Police Officers do not generate cash - Traffic Wardens do. Not sure about your main question John but I am pretty sure someone would know here. However, I would be steadily building a collection of videos and images for potential use....

Bud Richards ● 4699d