Jobsworth traffic wardens slammed for dishing out £240 fines outside shopping centre – while parked on double yellow lines
Outraged Rob McCarthy, 32, saw two inspectors get out of the car and slap £80 tickets on three vehicles in Bexleyheath, south east London
JOBSWORTH traffic wardens have sparked fury by dishing out £240 in fines - while parked illegally themselves.
Council ticket inspectors were spotted in a car stopped on double yellow lines outside a shopping centre.
Rob McCarthy, 32, saw three wardens laughing and joking in the white council vehicle as they waited for new restrictions to kick-in.
The dad-of-one was walking to the gym when he noticed two inspectors get out of the car and slap £80 tickets on three vehicles, including a car with a disabled badge, on Tuesday evening.
Disabled badge holders are allowed to stop in the bay from 10pm to 6pm outside the Broadway Shopping Centre in Bexleyheath, south east London.
But from 6pm it turns into a loading bay with a 20-minute limit.
Outraged Rob, a diamond driller from nearby Erith, told The Sun Online: "It's double standards and completely hypocritical.
"How can you give a ticket when you're sitting on a double yellow line yourself?
"I said that to the ticket warden but he just laughed at me.
"They were waiting there for 20 minutes, talking and laughing and joking, and thinking it was funny."
Bexley Council said its traffic wardens are allowed to park on double yellow lines to catch motorists flouting parking rules.
A spokesman told The Sun Online: "This location is in a very busy area serving lots of purposes, which is why there is dual usage of the bay.
"In order to keep motorists and pedestrians safe while keeping traffic moving, the Civil Enforcement Officers need to be proactive.
"We are satisfied that the geography of the location makes it difficult for Civil Enforcement Officers to park where there are no restrictions in order to carry out their statutory duties.
"The restrictions of the bays are clearly displayed and it is the responsibility of the motorist to comply with them."
In December traffic wardens armed with torches left motorists fuming after dishing out £50 fines at 1am in Kent
Last year we also revealed a teenager came up with the brilliantly simple ploy to avoid parking tickets.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368