Why the Net has the advantage in the ‘Undies world’
- Shopping blogger Emma Iannarilli
Parking tickets dished out as wreaths laid
Monday 9th November 2009, 11:30AM GMT.
War veterans were hit with parking tickets as they paid respects to fallen heroes during a Remembrance Sunday service.
Scores of people, including former soldiers who attended the ceremony at the Cenotaph in Walsall town centre, returned to their cars to find they had been given £25 fines.
Ex-servicemen today condemned the decision to issue the tickets.
Since last year’s service, Walsall Council has introduced parking charges in its car parks on Sundays, but those ticketed said they had no idea of the changes.
Council leader Mike Bird today defended the move and said wardens were legally bound to issue the fines for people using car parks and not paying.
Reg Maxwell served with the Royal Artillery for 13 years between 1964 and 1977 which included a stint in Northern Ireland.
The 63-year-old of Heather Road, Bloxwich, said: “It is disgraceful. I have been going to the service for years and never had any problems parking. We were trying to remember the dead and then there are wardens going around giving out parking tickets, how low can they get?”
Former secretary of the Walsall branch of the Royal British Legion Carol Fletcher added: “What is even more painful is that these tickets were actually issued whilst the parade and service were in progress.”
Councillor Bird said the authority would not be able to wipe all fines clear.
“Each ticket was issued within the law. A warden has no indication whether a car belongs to a war veteran. There is an appeals process and each case would be considered on its merits.”
It is the latest row in Walsall regarding the borough’s team of council-controlled traffic wardens.
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The 2 words “Walsall Council” says it all. I’ve recently been house hunting and the thing on top of this list was it must not be under Walsall Council. They’ve already wasted our money and so are trying to claw some back buy fining innocent people.
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Absolutley disgraceful! Mike Bird says he cannot rescind these tickets – yes he could order it if he wanted to! I hope all the people attending the remeberance service in Walsall town centre do appeal. It will waste more time and money for the appeals to be heard than it would do for the tickets to be rescinded.
I for one have stopped coming into Walsall on a Sunday to do my shopping, I liked Sunday shopping as I could park free of charge and the shops were not too busy. I used to come shopping at least 2 Sundays a month. That has now stopped and I tend to do my shopping out of town now where I can park free of charge. So much for encouraging shoppers into Walsall Town Centre and trying to help the economy of the town!
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Don’t ask me to vote for the Tories next year. They really are the ‘nasty party’.
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JJ, please explain to me why they are “innocent”?
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If you use a car park and dont pay you take that chance of getting ticketed. No point moaning about it.
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Its a pity it was not in Wolverhampton, because has you will recall, when “religious events” are held at West Park they “forget” (their words, not mine) to send the traffic wardens out.
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They will probably try to sell off their own grandmother’s next.
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its disgusting. they did this on purpose. the counci;l should be ashamed of themselves. as if they dont rip everyone off with coucil tax they also have to go and do crap like this.
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How low can they get?
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vultures, no other word to describe them
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Absolutly disgusting to see that the council have no consideration for what in my eyes is a very important day of the year.
The council could have had the decency to allow the carparks to be free up to 12 noon on Remembrance Sunday so that people can pay respect to the fallen from all acts of war and for those out in Afgan and Iraq today.
Shame on you walsall council!!!
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My father and grandfather would be devastated to know that despite their sacrifices in WWII the Nazis have control of Walsall. I hope the council is proud of it’s SS wardens? Wolverhampton’s little Hitler wardens were no better when they ticketed the runners in the race for life at West Park! Lets hope the silent majority remember this when they get the chance to vote for the local government?
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These people had parked illegally, why should it make a difference what they were doing there?
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Yet Walsall Council Staff get free parking, and whyhas the car park in Bridgeman street/ Gala Bingo site taken down it’s sign telling you what there cahrges are? (because they have put them up and shortened the stay length).
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Rememberanse Sunday is probably the busiest Sunday of the year in Walsall.Going through the town centre on many a Sunday I`ve never seen it crowded never enough to warrant Traffic Wardens being out.
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Surely the wardens should have shown some common-sense and had an amnesty for the morning car parking. Then again, this is a council run department I am writing about!
Outrageous jobsworths.
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i would like to urge everyone not to shop in walsall till these money grabbers see some sense i think sometimes they forget who they are employed by if a boycot on shopping was implemented they would soon see some sense come on shoppers theres plenty more places to shop
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What is this ‘legally bound’ rubbish the council has come up with???
There is *NO* such thing as ‘legally bound’ as British law does not recognise such a concept.
If a law is broken then there is NO requirement as such that any action be taken and a blind eye can be turned or if action is to be taken
then it does not necessarily require a full penalty exacted (eg a caution can be issued, etc, etc)
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bj its called respect ! maybe you dont know what that is !
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I hope Walsall Council will be giving all these fines (money) for the day to the poppy appeal!
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Hi all,
Just to clarify council employees pay a monthly charge for parking on council employee only carparks.
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Try to remember these actions when you put your little ‘X’ on your voting paper. The one major thing lacking in these high and mighty officials is a touch of humanity. Hitler’s Gestapo began their activities in such small ways too and practice makes perfect for the next step!
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‘BJ’ “These people had parked illegally” Car parking is not a CRIMINAL offence so how can it be ILLEGAL
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21* No they dont, I worked for both Cannock and Walsall council just as little as 4 years ago and was never charged!
I also have friends that still work in both, I have just rang some in both and they said they don’t pay and park on the staff carpark every day!!
So that is utter rubbish from a stupid clown who knows nothing!
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I have every respect for our heroes of war that we remember on this special day. However, these people are still breaking the law and if we let them off for this, it would open a huge can of worms.
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we had a similar issue outside our sons school.we were called to pick him up cos he was really ill at school.we parked right outside cos he was to weak to walk so we had to carry him.when we came out their was a warden giving us a ticket.we explained the situation to which he laughed and said nice try.this was while i had my sick son in my arms.
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Fox in a Box, when did the council make the comments you refer to? Isn’t parking free on Sundays when the “religous event” was held? So in fact it is “your” words and not “theirs”!!
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how disgusting no respect you would think common knowlegde the warden would have known why all those cars were there on that particular day signs should be bigger i wouldnt be surprised if there wasnt a ticket given out at 11am due the lack of respect of some people disgusted
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Im fortunate to live in America , yes it as its fair share of issues, but in no way would war veterans be treated like this.
I see that local government officals are still considered to be small minded , jobs worths. Clearly Mr Bird has no respect for these galent heroe’s – or he would also be attending the service. Anoter reminder of Why England is so depressing,to all our service men and women – thank you.
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SIMPLE: Cancel all tickets issued yesterday morning before 12 noon. This will act as an amnesty for everyone who attended the service and save the council money due to appeals procedure and staff costs.
Walsall Council to ensure Sunday parking charges are advertised at car park entrances. This will ensure there is no confusion for next year.
This is about compromise and respecting those who cannot defend themselves. All of those posts saying “they broke the law”, where is your compassion? Surely waiving the charge this year will show common sense has prevailed.
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Well given Mike Birds past record, he would know all about breaking the law wouldn’t he??????? Excuse the pun.
And why were these parking wardens not there also honouring our dead heroes??????? Don’t they respect our dead who have given, and are still giving their lives in order for these morons to be able to live here without hearing the sound of jackboots walking down the road?
In fact I will go further and ask what nationality they were? Because if they are like the ones in Sandwell it’s obvious that they were not born here so why would they know anything about the sacrifice made by our service personnel?
employee’s relative said:
“HI ALL, JUST TO CLARIFY COUNCIL EMPLOYEES PAY A MONTHLY CHARGE FOR PARKING ON COUNCIL EMPLOYEE ONLY CARPARKS” and does that charge include councillors???? Or are they exempt from the parking charges they are happy inflict on shoppers and residents of Walsall????
A couple of weeks ago the Merry Hill Centre opened a new food hall, I estimate they could close down the actual shopping centre and still make Merry Hill pay for itself.
I am sick and tired of hearing councils like Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall etc, complaining about Merry Hill ruining their shopping trade, because Merry Hill provides free car parking, Merry Hill is providing the service that the public want, narrow minded, bullying councillors like Mike Bird are the reason Merry Hill is so successful, personally I think he is doing Walsall residents a great job, because after he has caused all the business to close down and when Walsall shopping centre is dead and gone, who knows we could have another Merry Hill, built in Walsall!!!!!
Jim of Bearwood
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27) You do have a short memory, if you recall Wolves fans were ticketed at West Park for watching the final game of the season on a screen organised by the club/council, a week later a religious festival was not ticketed, and I quote ” because we forgot to send the wardens ” remember now???, not my explanation, theirs!
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Woody I agree with your idea. Unfortunately this is entrapment. They new in advance that people would be parking for this memorial, did they tell their wardens to use their discretion?
I doubt it infact they probably put on extra staff.
BIRD good vote winner, how much are the people of Walsall paying you?
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The wardens should have been at the service paying their respects not acting like the people we had a war to break free from.
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Walsall council should be disgusted with there selves I have used the car park in Moncrieffe st, for years only once a year for the rememberance service, if it was not for my husband telling me there ih now a charge I would myself have recieved a ticket from the loverley traffic warden who was loitering on the car park at 10 30 sunday morning, amazing the fact thet happend th be checking that part of Walsall at that time when it is the nearest car park to service.
Thank you Walsall council hope the proceeds will be going to Help our hero’s
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Air your views on YT or some similar site. This is a disgraceful way to treat people.
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Verminus grasping rubbish !.
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well this is walsall they the council has to get some £s back for its ring road and new college some how, but traffic wardens should of showed some passion and told walsall council not to work on such a day, all tickets should be waived
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32) no I don’t remember there is no restricted parking around West Park on a Sunday unless there is a match on!! These are the facts!!! So how can they forget to send wardens???
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You can’t help but think that these traffic wardens were loitering to put tickets on these cars to justify their existence on a Sunday….nobody has ever liked traffic wardens..(sorry civil enforcement officers)anyway and now they have mopeds it makes them even more annoying!! Walsall Council should be encouraging people to come to the town, particularly on Remembrance Sunday and by foolishly putting tickets and then saying sorry can’t do nothing about it (Mike Bird) then its a surefire way of keeping people away! I personally go to Birmingham now as the train station is free to park and the train fare is cheaper than 1 hour at a Walsall Council car park!
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Wasn’t it walsall councillors who bankrupted themselves a few years ago? I agree with Jim about the Merryhill as well.
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34 – I was given to understand that it was only the Nazis that required people to attend events. Or have things changed in Britain so that workers now have no choice about attending rememberance services?
As for the people parking and not paying, what is wrong with treating them like everyone else? Not as if the imposition of charges isn’t displayed in the car park and didn’t receive any press.
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OH MY GOSH!!! I can not believe the fuss this whole subject has made. There are some very bitter people in Walsall that need to relax. Stop with the sob stories!! There are more important things to concern ourselves with.
I take the point that alot of people had tickets on Sunday, but if you do not read the pay and display signs on car parks then you only have yourself to blame regardless of whatever day you park on.
Oh yeah, for those cynics who think that the money raised off tickets goes into Council coffers to pay for Ring Road improvements etc, the money is actually ring fenced to be spent only on enforcement measures. But you wouldnt know that because people like to throw around assumptions instead of researching the FACTS!!!
Merry Hill dont have to charge for parking because it is located on a large piece of land, which is separate to the actual town centre.
Oh yeah and for the record, Walsall Council payers do pay a monthly subscription to park on council owned staff car parks!!
EVERYONE CHANGE THE SUBJECT! ITS BORING NOW!!!
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Mike Bird is only your representative because more people voted for him than for anyone else. So if you don’t like what he does, next time he is up for election, turn out and vote for someone else
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It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are – the law is the law and it shouldn’t be broken. However, 26 – Sid – I do sympathise with your situation – that was an extreme circumstance.
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No 43 “Oh yeah and for the record, Walsall Council payers do pay a monthly subscription to park on council owned staff car parks!”
You pay a subscription to join a club. Is the environment at WMBC so like a club?
It does seem a tad sad that Sundays will be free for shoppers soon. An extension of that scheme for a couple of weeks would have generated a huge amount of goodwill. But it wasn’t; it hasn’t and the ‘shoot yourself in the foot machine’ that is Walsall Council has worked again. On Sunday I was in Wolverhampton and parked for free because there are no charges on a Sunday.
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Shut up No. 46 ANDREW!!!
If Wolverhampton is so good, stay there. Stop Moaning!!
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39) Jimbo, read this article “Double standards for wardens” by copying the title into the search archive box top right, then get back to me!!
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No 47
I actually live in Walsall and would quite like the place in which I live to be as good as other places.
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Sorry 48) hadn’t read that article it definitely appears a case of double standards. Regular wolves matches are controlled by traffic wardens but when the council fail to send the wardens out to an annual sikh festival this possibly couldn’t be an oversight but political correctness gone mad. I’m sure this is council policy and thank you for bringing it to my attention. I’ll be sending my letter to the Daily Mail and joining the BNP ASAP!!!
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desert rat hit the nail firmly on the head. utterly disgusting way to treat people on a special day remembering the fallen who fought for this country only to be ticketed by heartless
b*****ds who obviously had no family who served their country.
disgrceful
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MIKE BIRD RESIGN NOW YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF FOR THOSE FIRST COMMENTS YOU MADE !!!!!
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Colin Ward, just because something is a civil offence rather than a criminal one, it is still an OFFENCE and therefore ILLEGAL.
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I suggest that you come to the new police state of Smethwick , where we have the police riding round in their fancy cars , community support officers , God only knows what they do , street wardens fining people for feeding the ducks in the parks and of course the good old traffic wardens doing their best to issue as many tickets as possible It’s like a whole new industry of uniformed people has sprung up. Sieg Heil !
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