Ticket prompts questions

By Chris Valli

Blenheim’s Linda Skelton is rather mad and confused by a parking ticket offence.

Linda parked in the High Street car park before 1.46 pm on December 28 2022. As she walked to the parking machine there was a lady looking at the screen and waited for her to finish.

“She stepped back and said ‘you go ahead’ but i said ‘that’s ok i can wait.’ I told her there is an hour free but you have to enter details.”

Linda says she went through the process with her watching and said you must activate it with the OK which she did.

“I noted the time I needed to be back at around 2.30pm. This lady walked off across the car park. It crossed my mind that the lady at the machine probably also had a ticket. I did my shopping and returned to my car and drove home.

Linda says she noticed the parking ticket on her windscreen when she arrived home in Riverlands. She says her time was still before 2.30pm.

“I looked up a phone number for Marlborough Roads and rang them. The woman who answered said to send the details in an email which I did. I presumed they had decided to waive the charge, but while I was away a letter had come which says I have to pay the $40 by March 21 or it will be deferred to the district court.

Last week Linda went in to the Community

Law Marlborough and was met by ‘two wonderful ladies’ who said ‘Marlborough Roads won’t talk’ and that they were hearing about Linda’s plight often.

Furthermore, Linda approached the council asking if there was anyone she could discuss the fee with but they said there was no one and that she had to take it up with Marlborough Roads.

“I did look up the Council website regarding the parking fines and overdue parking is clearly written at much lower charges, noting the $40 is listed under other parking? How a car park being other parking beats me,” she says. “I have no proof this is what I did with the machine. I have the money to pay this and looks like I will have to, to save court costs as well, but the thing is, I’m dammed mad.”

“I wonder how many others have been charged in the same situation,” she says.

The final date for paying the infringement was yesterday, March 21.

When asked if she would be paying it, Linda says she won’t pay the fine as that ‘just gives in’.

“My original comment to Marlborough Roads was that I did not park illegally, I did activate the meter, therefore I do not owe anything,” she says. “I’m not sure what will happen next but we will see. The whole process hasn’t been about the payment but the principle behind the ‘one hour free parking’ and subsequently being issued a ticket.

“It’s about the process being fair and transparent,” Linda says. “All I wanted was to speak to someone and not via an email.”