A man has branded parking in Richmond Green a “scandal” due to its “confusing” signage.

A Richmond resident is waging a “lengthy battle” with the Council after being fined for mistakenly parking his car in the wrong bay in December 2019.

Graham, who has had to pay £278, is contesting the “unclear markings” in Richmond Green which made the difference between visitors and residents spaces hard to identify.  

Wandsworth Times: Parking signs near Richmond Green Parking signs near Richmond Green

He received a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) after paying for a ticket in the app RingGo and parking for 20 minutes, as he was accidentally in a space marked for permit holders.

In an enquiry to the council, he discovered that 75% of tickets issued there over a 12 month period were on the small proportion of bays his fine was issued.

Graham said that he had been caught out and had to pay a "disproportionate" fine.  

“The Council passed my details passed to a debt collection agency who threatened with bailiffs to remove goods from my house to the value of the now inflated fine of £278 which I had to pay,” he said.

However, Richmond Council said the PCN was issued correctly.

A spokesperson said: “In this incident, the vehicle was parked directly under a resident permit holders only sign. The Council considers the signage in this area to be clear to advise motorists of the regulations, therefore the penalty charge notice has been issued correctly.

“Enforcement of the resident permit holder bays at this location is important to provide some priority for residents given the high number of visitors who park in this part of Richmond.”

Graham is now threatening legal action against the Council.

“This is always happening. I want them to admit it’s wrong and change the signage,” he said.