Flash floods caused damage to engine but fine was still given even after a note and contact number was left on dashboard as well as efforts made by family to move vehicle
A HEARTLESS traffic warden has been branded as “diabolical” after they issued a mum-of-three a parking ticket even though she was forced to ditch her flooded car.
Flash floods caused a canal to burst its banks on Thursday night in the Stirchley area of Birmingham, West Midlands, and damaged the Ford Focus’ engine.
Before abandoning the damaged car, the mum left an explanatory note on the dashboard with a contact number for her brother who was coming to pick up the car.
However, when he got there the next morning, he found a parking ticket had been slapped on to the windscreen next to the note.
The brother, who did not want to be named, said: “It is diabolical; they are basically preying on people’s misfortune. My sister was driving when the canal burst.
“She got stuck and the car got flooded, and the engine got flooded too. She’s a mother-of-three and is in absolute bits. Now on top of that she’s got a ticket.”
Speaking to the , he said the family had tried moving the car that night but recovery services were closed by then.
“By the time I took her home and went back to the scene it was midnight. I had no choice but to leave it [until the morning].”
Heavy downpours and thundery weather led to southern areas of Birmingham, such as Stirchley and Selly Oak, being submerged in deep water.
The brother accused the council of taking advantage of the severe conditions, adding: “They love this, everything is about business. If someone had died they would have put a ticket on it.”
“I don’t want to tell my sister she has a ticket - I’ll just pay it myself.”
A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: “Any motorist can appeal a penalty charge notice. Where it can be shown that parking in a restricted area was unavoidable, that is of course taken into consideration.”
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