“Nigel Wise, who works as a carer in Lyndhurst Avenue, Whitton, was slapped with the £50 fine after stopping in a loading bay in St Margarets to check the signs for two minutes in April.

However, Mr Wise has refused to pay his fine because he claims the parking bays are illegally marked.

After careful research he discovered the bay was not marked in accordance to the rules set out in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 guide, which states loading bays of that type should be no more than 13.2m in length.

Mr Wise said: ‘The bay in question is over 15m long. It therefore can’t be classed as a loading bay.

‘It’s a clear cut case of illegal signage.’”

– from The Richmond & Twickenham Times 8 July 2010