20 drivers snared for illegal zig-zag parking in Barnard Castle town centre

MORE than 20 motorists were caught during a police clampdown on illegal parking at a town centre pelican crossing.
Barnard Castle Police promised a zero tolerance approach to drivers who pulled up on the zigzag lines at the Market Place crossing.
The issue was made a Police and Communities Together (Pact) priority in January and has been deemed a success by officers.
Reporting to the February Pact meeting at Woodleigh, on Scar Top, Barnard Castle, PCSO Darren Miles said 69 patrols had been carried out by officers.
“Fifteen tickets were issued by police and another six by the wardens,” he said.
“The tickets issued by the wardens carried a £100 fine, while those caught by police received three points on their licence as well as the fine.
“As a result, it has kept a lot of people off the zigzags – the message has got across to  drivers. The signs we put up in the window shops have helped a lot as well.”
PCSO Miles added: “We will now take it off as a priority because we have had such a good hit rate.”
Despite the operation’s success, he said some drivers were slow to learn.
“There was one occasion when a driver was being issued with a ticket for parking on the zigzags when another vehicle pulled up behind him and parked there as well.”
On another occasion, a HGV with an overseas driver behind the wheel pulled up on the lines.
Despite language difficulties, police managed to get the driver to move his truck to an appropriate parking place.