Anger as homeowner gets parking ticket outside her own home

A support worker from Ipswich is ‘livid’ after being given a parking ticket because she couldn’t find a space in her own street - while paying £35 a year for a parking permit.

Ruth Longhurst, 54, parked on single yellow lines close to her home in Hill House Road after driving home late from a charity event on August 4.

She says she can rarely find a space on the road, often having to park three or four streets away, because permits in the area cover too large an area.

She got up early the next day to move her vehicle but because she arrived seven minutes late she was greeted by a ticket on her windscreen.

Although Ms Longhurst admits she was late moving her car, she feels it is unfair to penalise her when there is no space to park.

“I am on a low income so can’t really afford the money,” she said.

“I’m livid. Everyone parks their car there even though they don’t live in our road.

“I am a resident and have a parking permit and everything. It happens all the time, you end up parking three or four streets away.”

Ms Longhurst said people park on Hill House Road and walk home as it is off the road and seen as safer.

She said because the area is so packed with vehicles the council should allow residents some leeway.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it, I was there just a few minutes past the time.

“I rang the council up and they said we don’t even give you ten minutes extra.

“I am really angry - they are so unsympathetic.”

An Ipswich Borough Council spokesman said it does not give dispensation for cars parked on yellow lines.

He said: “We cannot comment on individual cases but we would advise the resident to follow our established appeals process.”