Andy’s welcome home is a fistful of fines

A FINE mess: Andy Cardiff with demands from Oldham Council

FURIOUS Andy Cardiff returned from a holiday to find his two vehicles slapped with six parking tickets — only to be followed by letters demanding payment for another six.

Mr Cardiff (53) of Kenwood Road, Chadderton, went away for a fortnight to Turkey with his wife Beverley (50), unaware his resident parking permits had expired. He returned to find six parking tickets- three on his works van and three on his car.

He paid the £150 fines but asked if the council could consider reducing the cost because of the number of tickets. He then received a letter a fortnight ago saying he had failed to pay six more fines on both vehicles - despite them not being on the vehicles when he returned.

After being contacted by the Chronicle, the council decided to rescind the additional tickets in a gesture of goodwill.

Mr Cardiff, who has battled back to work after cancer, said: “I got back from holiday to find six tickets, I paid the fines and then asked the council to reduce them because I felt they were excessive.

“They said they couldn’t reduce them. I wasn’t happy but there was nothing I could do. Then I got the letter saying that I was being fined £340 for unpaid fines on six more tickets.

“I didn’t even know I had those. To get 12 tickets is comical. They were issued by five different officers, they all wanted their pound of flesh.”

Residents-only parking restrictions were imposed in the area surrounding Boundary Park to reduce the impact of on-street parking during Oldham Athletic match days following consultation.

Mr Cardiff added: “I’m absolutely delighted they have chose to waive the remaining fines.”