Anger as mayor's car parked in taxi rank
The mayoral car parked on a taxi rank
THE mayor of Bury was left a little red-faced after her car was found to have parked in a taxi rank outside Blush nail and beauty salon.
The car, which transports Cllr Sharon Briggs to civic engagements, was spotted on Sunday, April 13 in Tithebarn Street, Bury, around 11.30am.
A former traffic warden who worked in Bury took a photograph of the car, and claimed that NSL Services, which manages parking on behalf of Bury Council, tell officers that they should not put a ticket on the mayoral car, even if it is breaking traffic rules.
A council spokesman said that the mayor was opening a new business, and that her car needs to park as close to the event for security reasons.
The former warden, who did not want to be named, said: “Just because it has the coat of arms of the door, they seem to think they can park wherever they want.
“If anyone else had parked like that, they would get a ticket. It’s not fair to the people of Bury who pay their council tax.”
It is not the first time that the mayoral car has been caught flouting parking restrictions.
Cllr Briggs was in Ramsbottom to open the World Black Pudding Throwing Championships in September last year when her car was pictured parking on double yellow lines off Bridge Street.
A council spokesman said: “The mayor was on official duty, giving her support to the opening of a new business in Bury.
“The company, Beautiful, was also holding an event to raise money for Bury Cancer Support, one of the mayor’s chosen charities.
“When the mayor is on official duty, it is necessary to park as close to the event on the grounds of security, as the mayor is wearing a valuable mayoral chain and her attendant is responsible for its security at all times.
“On this occasion, the taxi rank was empty and the mayor’s car was not causing any obstruction.”
In 2009, deputy mayor Cllr Farook Chaudhry was attacked by a drunken thug who attempted to steal his chain in Bury town centre.
source: http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/ ... taxi_rank/
