Cheshire West and Chester Council has blasted motorists who flout the rules in its car parks.

Two motorists were so surprised to receive parking tickets inside a car park when their wheels strayed into another parking bay that they contacted The Chronicle .

But the council has reminded drivers that they are liable for a fixed penalty notice whether they contravene parking laws on or off the street.

Council spokeswoman Laura Johnson said: “Flouting markings and showing complete disregard for other motorists and pedestrians in open car parks or those within a building will always warrant a parking ticket.”

She added: “The car park’s design, including the marking of bays, balances the high demand for spaces whilst ensuring that all marked bays can be accessed safely and the information board in situ states that all vehicles must park inside marked bays, failing to do so could result in the issue of a Penalty Charge Notice.”

Jane White, 41, of Lache Lane, Chester, returned to a £25 fine after parking her Honda Insight across the parking bay lines in the Market car park.

Jane White's Honda was parked over the lines in Chester's Market Street car park for which she was fined
Jane White's Honda was parked over the lines in Chester's Market Street car park for which she was fined

The mother of two said: “There’s some small print on the board where you pay but I don’t normally pay because I use free after 3pm.”

Mrs White admits she was rushing for a dental appointment but claims a traffic warden accepted the space was not suitable for large car.

Constance Moody, of Handbridge, received a £25 fine after accidentally straddling the lines of a bay in the Trinity Street car park due to being ‘over cautious’ because of the proximity of a pillar, her car being brand new and the car park being ‘practically empty’.

She said: “This incident has left me feeling rather harshly exploited for such a minor error.”