Traffic Warden uniform

jayo2004 · 18-10-2016 11:34am #1

Does anyone know if a traffic warden has to be wearing his uniform when issuing a parking ticket. There is a loading bay outside my premises and I was parked in it longer that I should. I have a commercial vehicle. After checking my CCTV I can see he is wearing no uniform and there was also a car( not commercial vehicle) parked in the loading bay which he issued no ticket. He seemed to have got out of his car ran across the road and issued me a ticket. I do have some history with this warden and I want to be sure before I appeal.

Atlantic Dawn · 18-10-2016 11:45am

I don't think it matters as the council can have private contracted companies issuing tickets where their uniform doesn't match an official council wardens.

vandriver · 18-10-2016 11:48am

It's not a free parking place for your van,its for actively loading or unloading,then moving on.

Cheensbo · 18-10-2016 12:01pm

Not sure about the uniform but I'm pretty sure he has to be hopping on one leg while humming the theme tune to glenroe in order for the ticket to be valid.

Appeal it.

Only being a smartass - (garda + hat esque) btw, no offence intended

jayo2004 · 18-10-2016 12:04pm

It is not a private contractor. There is 2 traffic wardens in town and it was one of them.

@vandriver I know it is not a free parking spot for me and I did say I was parked longer than I should. Did you not ready my post? The council have issued resident parking to houses around my premises. I don't have anywhere near my shop to pay for parking ( I would pay if I did). If I am unloading I park in the loading bay. If I don't need my van I cycle to work. This day I unloaded and got held up inside and parked longer than I should.

listermint · 18-10-2016 12:06pm

jayo2004 wrote: »

It is not a private contractor. There is 2 traffic wardens in town and it was one of them.

@vandriver I know it is not a free parking spot for me and I did say I was parked longer than I should. Did you not ready my post? The council have issued resident parking to houses around my premises. I don't have anywhere near my shop to pay for parking ( I would pay if I did). If I am unloading I park in the loading bay. If I don't need my van I cycle to work. This day I unloaded and got held up inside and parked longer than I should.

Case closed, regardless of if you have distaste for the warden or they have a distaste for you.

jayo2004 · 18-10-2016 12:13pm

The question wasn't about how long I parked. Does he have to be wearing a uniform when issuing a ticket?

savagethegoat · 18-10-2016 12:20pm

no , so long as he has his hat on of course

listermint · 18-10-2016 12:24pm

jayo2004 wrote: »

The question wasn't about how long I parked. Does he have to be wearing a uniform when issuing a ticket?

No their authority doesnt stem from the uniform its stems from their powers intrusted by the local authority.

If you have issue with the ticket, you should challenge it.

The method of how you received it is sound.

whoopsadoodles · 18-10-2016 12:26pm

Well to be fair to the OP, not wearing his uniform could indicate that he wasn't on duty and so not actually authorised to issue a ticket. It's a fair question.

vandriver · 18-10-2016 12:28pm

Having history with a traffic warden is the very definition of can't win.

Pat Mustard · 18-10-2016 12:40pm

Here is the main legislation concerning Traffic Wardens.

Nothing about uniforms.

Fred Swanson · 18-10-2016 12:44pm

This post has been deleted.

coylemj · 18-10-2016 1:15pm

The primary purpose of putting traffic wardens in uniform is to act as a warning to motorists that parking regulations are being enforced in the area. It's similar to the way the speed vans have signs painted on the exterior. It also means that if you see one giving you a ticket, you're less likely to jump to the conclusion that he's trying to rob your wiper blades! It does not mean that they have to be wearing their uniform to issue tickets.

Jimmy Bottlehead · 18-10-2016 1:25pm

You got caught OP. Hands up, pay it and be more careful in future.

foggy_lad · 18-10-2016 1:38pm

@jayo2004 Was the Warden officially working at the time? AFAIK he has no right to issue fines unless he is officially "at work" and being paid for the time when he ticketed your vehicle.

There was a case in Newbridge a while back where iirc the warden was not working as a ticket warden at the time so there was a possibility the ticket would be quashed, but it transpired he was employed as a community warden covering litter parking etc so he was "at work" at the time the ticket was issued even though he was not working as traffic warden.

GM228 · 18-10-2016 1:48pm

foggy_lad wrote: »

@jayo2004 Was the Warden officially working at the time? AFAIK he has no right to issue fines unless he is officially "at work" and being paid for the time when he ticketed your vehicle.

There was a case in Newbridge a while back where iirc the warden was not working as a ticket warden at the time so there was a possibility the ticket would be quashed, but it transpired he was employed as a community warden covering litter parking etc so he was "at work" at the time the ticket was issued even though he was not working as traffic warden.

The legislation gives the power to a person employed or authorised by the authority. It doesn't specify if they must actually be on duty or not therefore the power isn't subject to an on duty status.

Similar to how certain powers are afforded to Gardaí weather or not they are on duty.

ironclaw · 18-10-2016 1:51pm

You mention you have CCTV OP. And whilst it also proved you were parked longer than you should, does it show the warden passing any time? You could make a case they could have no idea how long you were parked up.

Thin ice though, I'd probably just pay it.

vandriver · 18-10-2016 1:56pm

ironclaw wrote: »

You mention you have CCTV OP. And whilst it also proved you were parked longer than you should, does it show the warden passing any time? You could make a case they could have no idea how long you were parked up.

Thin ice though, I'd probably just pay it.

It's up to 30 minutes,while actively loading or unloading.The key word is actively....

BorneTobyWilde · 18-10-2016 1:57pm

Nothing worse that wanting to park to unload and you have some guy in a jeep parked there reading a newspaper or drinking a coffee . A guy that will point at his tax disc and say it's a commercial . It's a loading bay not a commercial tax bay.

GM228 · 18-10-2016 2:12pm

vandriver wrote: »

It's up to 30 minutes,while actively loading or unloading.The key word is actively....

A vehicle only needs to be used for loading or unloading, there's no "actively" requirement.

And it can be more than 30 minutes if a higher time limit is shown on the loading bay plate.

savagethegoat · 18-10-2016 2:17pm

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Nothing worse that wanting to park to unload and you have some guy in a jeep parked there reading a newspaper or drinking a coffee . A guy that will point at his tax disc and say it's a commercial . It's a loading bay not a commercial tax bay.

indeed it is and I wish someone would ticket all the many Utility Company vehicles I see parked in bays , not to mention all the 4x4 drivers who have gone shopping.

jayo2004 · 18-10-2016 3:03pm

savagethegoat wrote: »

indeed it is and I wish someone would ticket all the many Utility Company vehicles I see parked in bays , not to mention all the 4x4 drivers who have gone shopping.

This is my main problem. There seems to be certain vans that can park in this loading bay all day long and never get a ticket. I know this guy has it in for me.The fact that there was a car parked in the loading bay at the same time and he never gave a ticket to them kinda proves that. I'm gonna appeal it and see what happens. I know I've no right to park in the loading bay just because it's outside my premises but surely the rules have to apply to all.

Traffic Warden uniform

Comments