Traffic wardens accused of being 'over-zealous'

Traffic wardens enforcing a controversial parking scheme in North Somerset have collected nearly £140,000 - in its first three months.

Some motorists and business owners in Weston-super-Mare are accusing the council of operating over-zealous tactics and thereby risking the local economy.

The authority insists it's not making a profit from the scheme.

Ann Goodison's long driving record had been blemish free. A passenger in her daughter's car, her disabled blue badge entitled her to park partly on double yellow lines. She says a passing policeman confirmed it.

And yet as she enjoyed a drink at a nearby cafe she saw a warden issuing a ticket.

Despite their protests and photos, the warden applied the £70 fine. A letter of appeal to the council also had no affect on officials. Ann paid £35 within two weeks to avoid the full charge.

Here she describes the moment she saw the warden issuing a ticket.

Allan Taylor, the council's Parking Services Manager says the car was parked in a no loading area and as such automatically would receive a fine.

Since wardens began enforcing restrictions in April, 6,166 tickets had been issued until the end of June. That's generated just under £138,000

The new system has incensed so many that a Facebook page has attracted 1,500 members with multiple tales of parking problems.

Ken Perrett has run a hotel on Weston seafront for nearly 50 years and says there's never been a problem until now. He spent £400 on a newspaper ad against what he says is the council's anti-business approach.

We asked the Parking Services Manager if the scheme was just about making money. This was his response: