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A message to council parking chief Rudy
David Williams, Motoring Editor08.05.08
A London parking chief has become a cult internet star after protesters made a film exposing what they claim are the "illegal" activities of parking attendants in his borough.
A song set to the tune of A Message To You, Rudy by The Specials is dedicated to Rudy Bright, head of Camden council's parking services, and urges him to "stop your messing around".
The three-minute video, posted on www.parkingappeals.co.uk, shows a decoy truck picking up a string of tickets at 20 "illegal" parking spots.
The campaigners claim none is legally binding because of the "shocking" state of Camden's parking signposts and yellow lines.
"We drove around Camden and couldn't find a single parking bay that was legally binding," said the website's founder Simon Aldridge. "In every single case they have used markings or signs that infringe very strict rules setting out how these things should be done. It is just careless. They are either the wrong size or marked out incorrectly."
The film uses a picture of Camden's parking boss and the words Meet Rudy Bright while informing viewers: "560,000 penalty charge notices issued in 2006/07, generating £24.5 million for Camden." It then asks viewers "want to know the secrets?" before exposing what it claims are the council's shortcomings.
A spokesman for the council said: "Camden has one of the fairest parking systems in London. Council workers don't set the policy but carry out the work and this is an unwarranted attack on a hardworking individual."
Reader views (5)
Camden's parking enforcement is illogical if they claim it is not to raise money.
I got a PCN because I had not scratched out the Day of the Week box on the permit; all other boxes were correctly marked. The parking bay in which I had parked was not subject to a charge, so I was not defrauding the council or seeking to avoid payment.
My appeal to the council was rejected on the grounds that a similar appeal had been successful earlier in the year.
If they accepted the earlier appeal, why not this one?
I am reluctant to express my anger directly to the officials involved as they are "only doing their job" (where have we heard that before?), but this seems completely ilogical and unfair.
- Jay, London
I received a parking ticket whilst visiting Camden Market for the first time in December 2006. I went back to the bay to put more money in the Meter, I still had 5 minutes to go and a Warden who claimed he did not speak English gave me a ticket, I tried to appeal to no avail, The upshot was and still is never visit again and I've told lots of people not to venture near Camden or else they may endure the appalling treatment I received.
Sorry Camden £24.5 Millions Gained how much lost business / revenue due to non returning visitors. This policy on parking fines is very short sighted.
- Paul Williams, Market Drayton, UK
He obviously isn't very bright after all!
- Marc, Harrow, UK
Well done parking appeals! As a former resident I can only endorse the findings and confirm Camden officials are verbose in spouting politically correct vision and ambition, but very terse in delivering effective solutions. Ask them about their leisure centre administration, handled naturally, by a "charity".
- Ken, london
Sounds like Rudy needs firing!? Where does he live again - I have a special delivery for that loser.
- Steveo, London, NW1,
