Drivers have been hit with £70 fines after a council seemed to play a trick on them by lifting their cars and painting double yellow lines underneath them.
Wokingham Borough Council has been criticised for issuing tickets to the residents, who oblivious to the work being done, in a ‘mafia-like’ move – with just weeks until Christmas.
One of the people slapped with the hefty penalty for illegal parking is Moeen Ulhaq.
The 19-year-old student left his car on Blackthorn Close, Earley, and claims there were no signs warning of the work about to be done.
Mr Ulhaq, who is now appealing the fine, said: ‘I parked there last night and there were no signs warning they would be painting lines.
‘I woke up about 10.30am and my mum told me they were moving the cars and painting lines.
‘They didn’t make much noise, I couldn’t hear them doing it.
‘One by one, they were lifting each car and putting them back down. I got there and my ticket had been issued at 11.20am.’
Labour councillor Shirley Boyt explained that contractors for the council had lifted the cars parked along the close with a crane on a truck, and while suspended, cheekily painted the yellow lines underneath.
Cars were then placed back down and slapped with a parking fine in what she branded as a ‘complete fiasco’.
Ms Boyt revealed she had reached out to the council last week, concerned that residents would not know the work was happening.
She added: ‘I offered to place letters on each car parked there but the council said that would not be necessary as there would be cones.’
Many people in Wokingham took to social media to criticise the local authority for the blunder, with resident Andy Croy saying that ‘this is mafia-like behaviour and there is no excuse for it’.
Metro.co.uk contacted Wokingham Borough Council about the gaffe but BBC reported it had accepted the fines were ‘issued in error’ and would be cancelled.
A council spokesperson said it was ‘an unfortunate coincidence’ parking enforcement contractors were in the area shortly after the yellow lines were painted.
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