A small road near Heathrow frequented by plane spotters has generated more than £7,000 in parking fines in just five months.
Cains Lane in Bedfont is a narrow street, running for about 300 metres between Hatton Road and the A30 Great South West Road.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this otherwise ordinary road is the number of drivers fined for stopping there.
In the three years to the end of March 2016, just under 300 parking tickets were doled out, boosting Hounslow Council 's coffers to the tune of almost £16,600.
And in just five months to the end of August this year, a Freedom of Information request by getwestlondon revealed, 128 drivers have amassed £7,015 in fines.
That huge volume could be explained by its location, a stone's throw from Heathrow Terminal 4 and the airport's southern perimeter, which makes it a popular choice with aircraft enthusiasts seeking a good vantage point.
'They need to put up signs to warn drivers'
Dave Kirkham drove down to west London from Stalybridge in Greater Manchester with a friend in August to spend three days watching jets take off and land at Heathrow.
He was fined £110 for parking in Cains Lane on what he described as a dirt verge beside the road.
The council rejected his appeal, stating that drivers were banned from parking with one or more wheels off the road at any time of the day or night unless signs showed otherwise.
Mr Kirkham grudgingly coughed up the reduced £55 sum for early payment, but wanted to ensure others do not get caught out.
"The council said I couldn't park there as I could be obstructing blind people or parents with pushchairs, but no one would be able to steer a pushchair along that," he said.
"It also said I could be damaging underground pipes or cables, but there are other streets in the area where you have to park partially on the pavement since they're so narrow, so that's not consistent.
"There were lots of other people parked here on the day I was fined and I bet many other aircraft enthusiasts have been caught out.
"It's a dirt verge; not a road or a footpath. If it's illegal to park there they should at least put up signs to warn drivers.
getwestlondon has contacted Hounslow Council for a comment.
