Sneaky Merton Council has been slapped on the wrist for using “underhand” tactics by driving around in an old banger to issue parking tickets.

The council’s cunning cannivery was revealed by Derek Anderson, who overturned his £60 parking ticket on September 25 after a uniformed parking attendant issued him with a parking control notice (PCN).

Mr Anderson was ticketed just one minute after parking his van in Coombe Lane, near Raynes Park station.

The electrician, from Sutton, said: “An old banger pulled up behind us. The driver of the car, not in uniform, got out and was making a mobile phone call.

“He read the tax disc then he signalled back to the attendant who was sitting in the old banger. He had a ticket already printed. My son came straight out. We ran after them but they raced off.”

Joanne Oxlade, an adjudicator from the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service, condemned Merton Council’s parking enforcement tactics as “underhand”.

She said: “I consider using an unmarked civilian car, sitting in the car, using another person to collect the data, and then just getting out of the vehicle to issue the PCN, to be underhand.

“I consider the parking attendant’s observation of one minute is not adequate for him to properly assess the situation and satisfy himself the motorist is not loading/unloading, or off to buy a voucher.

“The bottom line is I am satisfied the PCN was placed on the vehicle, albeit hurriedly, but that the appellant was in the process of complying with restrictions. The vehicle was not therefore parked in contravention.”

A spokeswoman for Merton Council said it paid £4,277 per month on privately hired cars, which were used solely by civil enforcement officers, and was looking to buy two more vehicles.

Councillor Mark Betteridge, cabinet member for performance and implementation, said the council was “following normal practice”.

He said: “Parking is in huge demand across Merton and, to ensure fairness, we have to ensure everyone using our car parks pays for the provision.

“Merton’s civil enforcement officers always check to see if there is anyone at the ticket machine before issuing a penalty charge notice, and we support the decision our parking officer made in this instance.”

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