A FORMER traffic warden who parked on a double yellow line for three months has told of his fury after he was slapped with £400 in fines.
Lucas Taylor, 40, says a legal loophole means he should never have been handed the penalties.
He left his Vauxhall car on the lines in Abinger Road, Brighton, which is just around the corner from his home.
The double yellows are badly faded, and Mr Taylor, who dished out tickets in the seaside town for four years, said that means parking restrictions are invalid.
According to UK law, drivers can appeal tickets if markings can't be clearly observed.
Mr Taylor also says the lines aren't capped with a "termination bar", or T-bar.
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He's refused to pay up, and says the council has no right to demand his cash.
However, officials don't agree - and bailiffs have been sent to Mr Taylor's home.
Mr Taylor said: "The lines are absolutely shocking.
"I've been parking there for three months. Loads of people have.
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"Then they started ticketing.
"But they can't enforce them - the lines are completely weathered.
"You can barely make them out.
"How can you break parking laws if you're unaware that they are there?"
Mr Taylor, who now works as a window cleaner, has been ordered to fork out £424 to Brighton and Hove City Council.
PARKING MAD
The authority has sent him "formal notice" that bailiffs will call to take some of his possessions.
And while Mr Taylor has already lost an appeal, he vowed to stick to his guns.
"When I was a warden, I would never ticket cars parked on faded or broken yellow lines," he said.
"You just can't do that. I've spoken to friends who are parking wardens and they agree that the fine shouldn't have been enforced.
"If they want to fine people for parking on yellow lines, they should make sure they are visible."
How can you break parking laws if you're unaware the yellow lines are there?
A spokesman for Brighton & Hove City Council said: "Yellow lines often become faded or patched over time due to wear and tear or repair work.
"Minor imperfections do not negate the validity of the lines.
“We advise drivers wishing to challenge penalty charge notices of further opportunities to do so.
“A tribunal, for example, is often the best way to test the validity of yellow lines.
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“It is up to individual drivers whether or not they pursue these opportunities.
“In instances where they don’t our normal rules apply with regard to late payments.”
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