WHILE enjoying a few days of over the Christmas period, I managed to park my van outside my own house for a change.

After buying a permit for £60 in early December, imagine my surprise when I came out to find a parking ticket on my van.

The reason given was that I was parked outside the bay – not by the length, but the width.

I was a few inches over the pavement side as my van will not fit inside the bay as Aston Street is narrow and if I park further into the road I risk being hit by other cars or could prevent emergency vehicles coming down.

Do we now have to go out with a tape measure every time we park and also is the council that desperate for money? The council seems to be targeting those who have actually paid to park in an area close to their own homes.

This is not acceptable.

There were over seven cars on the street and more in surrounding streets that had permits but also received a parking penalty notice from the warden.

It is interesting that when I have been at work and tried to park in other locations, closer to religious facilities and other public venues cars are parked everywhere and rarely have I seen one with a permit in their window, yet not a warden to be seen for miles.

JOHN LUCIW
Aston Street
Oxford