With parking at a premium nowadays, you’d think keeping your car at home would be an easy way to avoid extra costs.
However, one Prestwich man got the shock of his life after being hit with a £424 fine for parking outside his house.
Understandably, the ticket has got the motorist revved up after being penalised so close to home.
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Despite Reece Dawson explaining that he lived at the address, he was still given a fine as festival goers clamoured for parking spaces on residential streets during Parklife festival last June.
Prior to the event, the electrician had applied for multiple parking permits but only two were issued to the household.
Things went from bad to worse as Reece had initially been fined just £70 with hefty charges added on to.
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Paying the fine within 14 days, it was reduced to just £35 with the young man unsuccessfully trying to appeal the decision.
Opting not to appeal again, he was later greeted with a bailiff letter asking for £189 and then another stating the fee had jumped to an eye-watering £424.
While Reece did pay the fine in full, his family are now concerned as they’ve yet to receive their permits for this year’s festival - even though it’s just days away.
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Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Reece’s mother, Julie, explained how worried she is as the family live close to Heaton Park - where the festival takes place.
“We live on Woodhill Grove. I have done a door knock in the street and discovered that out of 24 houses in the street - ten including us - have not been given any permits at all,” she said. “Living at our home are my husband and myself, three adult children, and a 16-year-old and 17 year-old. We need seven permits as well as having vehicles for our own use Reece and my husband use work vehicles.”
She added: “The people behind Parklife are making a lot of money yet they can't sort out a simple issue of giving parking permits to people who rightly deserve them."
Even with calls to the festival organisers and her local councillor, the mum has been unable to solve the issue of the missing permits.
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Meanwhile, John Drape, a spokesperson for Parklife, has insisted that the family will receive their permits in time for the upcoming festival.
Noting that the system was ‘not full proof’, he said: “I am aware of Mrs Dawson's case and we hope to deliver her permits by today or tomorrow. She wants seven permits and that is what she will get.”
LADbible have reached out to Parklife for comment.
Katherine Sidnell