CREWE and Nantwich's 'harsh' parking policy has come under fire from a man who was fined after hobbling back to his car on crutches.

Trevor Veale, 64, bought a ticket to park at the Market Centre in Crewe and, with two hours left before it expired, he moved to the nearby Asda car park to be closer to the store where he wanted to shop.

He returned to the car in time but was shocked to find a £60 fine on the windscreen of his car.

Pharmacist Mr Veale, who lives at Barthomley, said: 'Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council want people to shop in the area and when they do they are penalised.

'Not only was I in pain on crutches after an operation on both knees, I was also clearly displaying a ticket that had not expired. When it said 'not transferable' I thought it meant to another car.

'Yet my plea towaive the fine fello n deaf ears. What a harsh and unbending policy.'

Council business manager, Paul Burns said: 'In the instance of Mr Veale it is worth making clear that tickets are not transferable from one borough car park to another. This is clearly printed on the ticket and pay and display boards.

'Also he purchased his ticket at the Market Centre which is not run by the borough council but private company Euro.

'We understand people do have emergency situations and judge each case on its merits. But this was not a valid excuse.'

The car parking department extended Mr Veale's payment deadline a further seven days.

Fines are £60, but reduced to £30, if paid within seven days.

What's your verdict? We welcome your views. You can e-mail us at crewe.news@cheshirenews.co.uk, write to The Chronicle, 32-34 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE, or fax us to 01270 502439.

Report calls for 'single system' > > >

Report calls for 'single system'

THE case of Trevor Veale comes in the same week that Crewe and Nantwich Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody has joined MPs in branding the country's parking enforcement 'inconsistent and confused'.

A report from the House of Commons Transport Committee said it was 'absurd' that some parking offenders are dealt with by police and others in neighbouring areas by local councils.

And committee chairman Mrs Dunwoody slammed incentive regimes based on the number of tickets issued as 'utterly misguided.'

She urged councils to become more lenient and not encourage inspectors to ticket without exception.

Mrs Dunwoody said: 'Our present parking system is, frankly, a mess.'

The report said lines and signage to indicate the parking rules were often unclear and that drivers had difficulty understanding and complying with the law.

Mrs Dunwoody said: 'If a motorist parks illegally on one street they are branded a criminal and will be dealt with by the police. On another street they will have committed a civil ment and will be processed by the local authority.

'It is high time to move to a single system of parking enforcement. But this roll-out of decriminalised parking enforcement must take place in the context of improved professional standards.'

Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation, said: 'Over-zealous enforcement, confusing signs and lines, and the belief that councils are using parking fines to raise revenue rather than keep the traffic moving should become nothing but bad memories if the Government takes this report seriously.'