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Ezia Saada with son Omar, nine and daughter, Rosalla, six. |
Motorist’s £700 fine after car was moved while
on holiday
Family return from trip to discover vehicle towed away to allow tree chopping
A SINGLE mum who saved up for a year to take her children to visit their sick grandmother in Sardinia has been landed with £700 of parking fines – more than the total cost of her trip.
Ezia Saada, 39, left her car in a resident’s bay in Torriano Avenue, Kentish Town, complete with valid parking permit but returned to find it was no longer where she left it.
The family had been in Cagliari for 27 days, on a trip costing £651, visiting Ms Saada’s mother who has Parkinson’s disease.
Their return home was marred by the disappearance of the family car.
Believing that the vehicle had been stolen, Ms Saada left her three children with a neighbour while investigated.
She soon discovered her Mazda had been towed away following the suspension of a parking bay while council workmen cut down some trees.
To get it back she was told she would have to pay £700.
Ms Saada, who lives in Torriano Avenue, said: “I was mortified. They told me it was in the car pound. We were all in shock. I was told if I left it any longer it would cost me £40 a day. I had to borrow the money from a friend and I had £200 saved up for a rainy day. We’ve got a little pot and every week we put what we can into it. I have to save all-year long to go see my parents.”
She said a neighbour told her the cars were removed to make space for workmen who spent one day cutting down trees at the back of a house.
Ms Saada, a part-time volunteer at Highgate Newtown Community Centre, added: “Its outrageous. It’s stealing. A lot of people break the law but I didn’t. I paid for my own permit.
“I couldn’t leave the keys with just anyone because they wouldn’t be insured.
“I couldn’t get someone to go check every day, my neighbours were on holiday. I had no option. If they were just doing one day’s work they could have lifted the car, moved it and put it back.
“It’s put me in difficulty. The children are older now and I have to buy them clothes, shoes and necessities.”
A spokeswoman for Camden Council said a member of the public had applied to have the bay suspended for one day on August 17 for tree works to be carried out and confirmed warning signs were put up 14 days in advance.
The spokeswoman added: “We have a duty to ensure bays are clear for works and Ms Saada’s car was removed because it was parked in the suspended bay.
“We have received an appeal from Ms Saada and are currently considering the special circumstances she describes.
“Residents can find out about suspensions in their area on our website. They can also register for our new e-alert system, where they are notified by email of any impending suspensions in their selected streets or CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone).
“The council doesn’t set the level of charges for PCNs (Penalty Charge Notices and removals – these are set by London Councils.” |
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