A DRIVER has said he is disappointed and frustrated at being fined for pulling on to the pavement because his car had broken down.

Harrow Council issued a parking ticket to Martin Whitfield for having two of his car wheels on the path near Bannister Sports Centre in Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald.

Mr Whitfield had been driving along Uxbridge Road when he felt his Honda CRV car’s battery slowly die.

The 54-year-old said: “I could feel it going, so I pulled over. It is a busy main road, so I thought it would be much safer to try and put the car on the pavement a little bit, so I was out of the way of other cars driving down the road.

“I waited roughly an hour for the recovery van to arrive, who confirmed to me that my battery had died.

“A few days later I received a parking ticket from Harrow Council for £55. I couldn’t believe it.”

Mr Whitfield, of Kimble Crescent, Bushey, appealed against the fixed penalty notice, which was issued in December last year. He said it was ridiculous to pay for something he could not have avoided.

However, his appeal was rejected on Tuesday, February 12, with the council letter stating: “Your vehicle had two wheels resting on the footway/driveway. Footway parking may damage to the footway itself and also risks damaging underground utility service pipes and cable, pavements are not designed to take weight of motor vehicles.

“Damage to London Borough of Harrow pavements are extremely costly to repair and can result in injuries to pedestrians after a fall.”

Mr Whitfield said: “I can’t believe they are moaning about the footpaths. I had to make a decision at that time and I thought it was safer for me and other drivers that I should go on the verge and keep out of their way. The council should realise this and look at the wider picture.”

The council’s divisional director for environmental services, John Edwards, commented: “While we have every sympathy for motorists who break down on roads, we cannot allow them to park on the pavement.

“Unfortunately, all motorists at some point experience a breakdown. I would urge motorists who find themselves in these situations to follow safety procedures such as putting up a warning triangle if it is safe to do so and switching on hazard lights.”

Mr Edwards said when an appeal was rejected, motorists had the right to take their case further to the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service.