News: Vicar turns tables on wardens as she snaps their van parked on double yellow lines

A VICAR who claims that traffic wardens are preying on her congregation has photographed them parked on double yellow lines, reports The Times.

The Rev Beverley Mason, the vicar of All Saints church, Bingley, in West Yorkshire, caught the council van as wardens patrolled parking bays on Sunday, just weeks after they had given her a ticket for the same offence.

She said: “They must be dreadfully embarrassed. They were going round giving more of our churchgoers tickets at the time. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The warden’s van was parked right on the bend, on double yellow lines. I called out to the two men, ‘Is this your van?’ and they were mortified.”

Ms Mason, who has had four tickets, added: “These people are committed members of our community, they’re so kind and live holy lives, yet they feel they’re being penalised for it. Every Sunday there’s someone in our church who gets a ticket.

“The council have restricted the parking in the marked bays to two hours, meaning people who turn up early and stay behind after to tidy up get fined.”

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “It is clearly unacceptable for a council  van to be parked on double yellow lines and all council wardens have been instructed they must adhere to parking restrictions at all times.

“We need to look into this matter to see what has happened on this occasion and consider what action needs to be taken. We will contact the Reverend Mason directly to discuss matters in more detail.”