Warden sacked for yellow-line parking in Rochester

The council's camera car was parked on double yellow lines in Rochester

A traffic enforcement officer was sacked after filming illegally parked cars while parked on a double yellow line, it has emerged.

Medway Council said the officer was dismissed "with immediate effect" when it was bought to their attention by a member of the public.

Drivers have accused the local authority of hypocrisy.

The council said its officers can legally park on double yellow lines if it is the "only safe option".

Amateur photographer Alan Bourne took the picture of the camera car parked on double yellow lines on the corner of the Esplanade, Rochester.

'Safe option'

He said: "I think what gets people's goat is that it's hypocritical to create a loophole in the law in order to enforce that law, especially when there's always the suspicion that they are just doing it for the money."

A council spokesman said parking enforcement makes the roads safer and reduces congestion.

He said: "Our drivers are always told to park safely when stopping to photograph an illegally parked car.

"From time to time, this can mean that they have to park on double yellow lines, which they are allowed to do under Medway's traffic regulation orders.

"We tell staff that they can only do this if it is the only safe option.

"This driver has not complied with this and has been dismissed from their post with immediate effect."