CUMBRIA council has apologised after wrongly fining drivers parked in a town centre.

It has admitted its civil enforcement officers have spent more than a year issuing tickets to vehicles parked on an unadopted piece of road in Workington.

The section of Edkin Street, running from the corner of Laura Ashley towards a service yard, is next to the adopted highway the council controls.

A county council spokesman apologised for the error and said all paid fines were refunded after the problem was brought to the authority’s attention.

The news comes weeks after it was revealed that Allerdale council had ticketed vehicles parked in a service yard behind Campbell-Savours Way in Workington despite having no authority to do so.

It, too, apologised and said refunds would be issued.

At Edkin Street, the county council issued 15 unauthorised tickets in 2015 and eight in the first two months of this year.

Parking tickets can only be issued in areas covered by legal orders.


Mark Jenkinson Both errors were highlighted by Mark Jenkinson, of Seaton, who has spent eight years campaigning against incorrect issuing of parking tickets.

He urged motorists who receive council parking tickets to check the relevant traffic regulation order. 

People should check the regulations for on-street parking, or off-street parking places to make sure the area in question is covered and the correct signs and lines are in place before paying the fine.

He added: “I think this sets a precedent. It’s been my concern that for every person like me who shouts up there are two or three more who have paid.

“I’d never condone people causing obstructions or parking where they have no permission to park but where councils are going to fine people and eventually send bailiffs in there’s legislation that governs what they can and can’t do. They can’t be a law unto themselves.”