When is unloading not unloading in Windsor?
I ask this question because I recently had a parking ticket from the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead. I was parked outside the Windsor Theatre Royal unloading 200 copies of magazines and two stands. My hazard lights were on. I took the stands downstairs and unloaded half the magazines, with the permission of staff. I then proceeded to unload the magazines into the stand upstairs - big mistake. I returned to my car seven minutes later with a notice saying I had been parked illegally. An attendant had apparently been watching my car for six minutes and could not even be bothered to glance into the foyer of the theatre where he would have seen what was going on.
I duly appealed, offering witnesses from the theatre who would testify that I was indeed unloading. When I did not hear anything after 14 days, I called again and was told a letter was in the post. Surprise, surprise, it never arrived. I called the council. My appeal was turned down. I was emailed a standard letter saying I was parked in a loading bay without loading. No one had even bothered to read my appeal! I then had to email again, asking how I could begin a formal appeal. I was told my original ticket had to expire before I could be issued one.
So, I now await an opportunity to be allowed to appeal. I will ofcourse be sumitting letters from witnesses, but this really isn't the point. As a council tax payer I just can't believ the bureaucracy, the time and the money that is wasted on petty issues such as this.
I suspect that in difficult economic times the council wants to raise money by any means - fair or foul - and that wardens are told to issue as many tickets as they can. The appeals procedure is made so long-winded so as to discourage anyone from seeking redress. My dealings to date make me question carrying on with the appeal, but a principle is at stake and I'm not going to be brow beaten. I shall continue with the appeal so watch this space! I'd love to hear from anyone else in a similar position. I'm sure I'm not alone in my low estimation of petty bureaucy.