July 25, 2013 12.38 pm This story is over 128 months old

Entire initial parking wardens team in Lincolnshire left over abuse on the job

Less than 6 months in the job: Every member of the initial team of 20 parking wardens for Lincolnshire towns has left due to abuse on the job.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Every member of the initial team of 20 parking wardens for Lincolnshire towns has left due to abuse on the job, after less than six months in the role.

In December 2012 Lincolnshire County Council took on Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) duties from Lincolnshire Police and hired a team of 20 CPE officers.

But in the following six months, the entire team has been replaced with new recruits after every initial member of the team left their job, blaming constant abuse from people.

Since CPE officers started work on December 3, they issued over 22,675 fines across Lincolnshire by June 30, 2013, with almost half issued in Lincoln

In Lincoln, the parking wardens issued drivers with 10,761 fines since December 2012 to June 2013.

On average, one in three (35%) of the fines handed by parking wardens were contested and cancelled in the Lincoln area.

Traffic wardens captured parking on double yellow lines on St Martin's Lane in Lincoln to ticket motorists. The council said they are allowed to do so on the job. Photo: Andy Ferguson

Traffic wardens captured parking on double yellow lines on St Martin’s Lane in Lincoln to ticket motorists. The council said they are allowed to do so on the job. Photo: Andy Ferguson

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Mick Phoenix, Parking Services Manager at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Not one patrol officer who started when the civil parking scheme launched in December is still a patrol officer in Lincolnshire now.

“The whole team has been replaced at least once. It is down to stress of the job and sickness. They receive abuse from motorists.

“And even in the least serious cases, let’s just say they are subject to the odd quiet word from drivers,” he added.

Matt Jones, Parking Services Officer, said: “On record, our enforcement officers have been subjected to approximately 35 cases of abusive or threatening behaviour.

“However, this number does not reflect the true extent of the problem, wardens often face abuse on a daily basis,” he added.

Every warden has now been given a body video camera and a GPS tracker to record any abuse from people.