Double yellows painted UNDER cars after council uses crane to lift them

MOTORISTS were hit with £70 fines after council workers lifted up their cars with a crane to paint double yellow lines on a previously unrestricted road – and then parking wardens turned up shortly afterwards.

The incident was blamed on an ‘unfortunate coincidence’ because the local authority parking wardens were in the area just after the lines were painted.

Drivers were not warned of the new restrictions on the road in Wokingham, Berkshire, said councillor Shirley Boyt.

Moeen Ulhaq, a 19-year-old student, said: ‘I parked there last night and there were no signs warning they would be painting lines.’ He said his mother told him they were moving the cars at 10:30am the next morning. He added: ‘One by one, they were lifting each car and putting them back down.

‘I got there and my ticket had been issued at 11.20am.’

Pauline Jorgensen of Wokingham Borough Council, said: ‘This incident was caused by an unfortunate coincidence that our parking enforcement contractors happened to be in the area shortly after the yellow lines had been painted.

‘We are sorry this happened and would encourage anybody who received a parking ticket to appeal.’