DRIVEN MAD
I’ve been sent £23,000 in driving fines… but I’ve never owned a car – the reason why left me fuming
Plus we explain how to challenge parking restrictions
A MAN has been left fuming after receiving a staggering £23,000 in driving fines despite never owning a car.
Barry, from Birmingham, claims he was sent a hundreds of parking and clean air zone penalties in just two years.
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The 73-year-old claimed he has never been behind the wheel - and ditched his motorbike over 50 years ago.
Barry has claimed he's been slapped with over 200 fines.
The pensioner, who uses public transport to commute around his area, said the incident has caused him "inner turmoil".
He told BBC Midlands: "It's not something I want to live my life waiting for."
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Barry is thought to be a victim of car registration fraud - where scammers register a vehicle to another address to dodge fines.
Any parking offences will then be sent to the wrong driver's address.
The DVLA said there are no vehicles registered to Barry's address.
Birmingham City Council said the issue is currently being investigated.
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A spokesperson said: "We can confirm that the original parking fines and penalty charge notices were issued to the registered keeper on the DVLA's database at the time the contraventions took place.
"Following a representation from the registered keeper of these vehicles subsequent correspondence was issued to Mr Toon's address.
"This case has been escalated with the council's parking services team for further investigation.
"The council follows the statutory enforcement process for the issuing and enforcement of penalty charge notices.
I’m so rich that I don’t care about parking fines - I see them as a VIP fee to park wherever I want
"Penalty charge notices are sent to the address of a registered keeper of a vehicle, based on the information held by the DVLA at the point it is issued."
The Sun Online has contacted Birmingham City Council for comment.
It comes as drivers were left fuming as their local council started charging them to park outside their own homes.
Residents of Didcot, Oxfordshire, slammed the new measure as a "tax" and campaign groups claim it is part of a "war on motorists".
How can you challenge parking restrictions?
Brits are able to challenge parking restrictions in their council areas under the Road Traffic Act of 2004.
Residents can club together to create a petition to the council as long as it meets certain criteria - a minimum number of signatures and the provision of sufficient information in the petition.
These minimum levels are set by the council but, under the law, must be set low "wherever practicable" and should "encourage engagement".
Once a petition is received, it should be considered for review in a way that:
- Protects local democracy - decisions made by accountable elected representatives
- Includes a method for escalating decisions when they are not made by councillors
- Is carried out in a publically accessible forum.
Councils must also publish all reports and decisions on such matters.
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