I've been fined for parking outside my flat six times

A motorist has been fined six times for parking outside his own flat - as the designated bay isn't long enough for his car.

Tom Mulholland had been parking his Volkswagen Golf for months without any issues, before he started receiving a flurry of £35 fines from May this year.

The 29 year old claims Southampton City Council is being 'highly disingenuous' with claims his vehicle blocks the pavement.

However, the council has rejected each fine he has appealed.

Now, he is launching a second appeal but faces the daunting prospect of having to pay £660 if unsuccessful.

Mr Mulholland, who lives in Southampton, Hants, said: 'It just doesn't seem like there's any clarity.

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'These flats were office blocks before being converted in 2017.

'The council approved these spaces and now I'm being fined for parking outside my home, which I think is unreasonable.

'If the council were to say these spaces are too small, I'd understand but they approved them in the first place - so perhaps they shouldn't have been approved initially or otherwise it doesn't seem right to get tickets for parking where you're supposed to on private land.

'I think it's highly disingenuous of the council to argue that I'm obstructing the highway given the width of the pavement.

'There are double yellow lines in place on the other side of the pavement to enforce no parking in the road in order to prevent obstruction of the highway.'

He added: 'I think many people would just accept it and pay these fines but when it's a case of parking in a space outside your own home and you're repeatedly handed them, you have to do something otherwise I just won't be able to park here.'

In a statement, Councillor Eamonn Keogh, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport for Southampton City Council said: 'No waiting restrictions apply to any adjacent footway and verge to maintain access for pedestrians, pushchairs, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and the visually impaired.

'Vehicles parked in a private property designated parking space that overhang onto the footway where a restriction is on the adjacent carriageway would be subject to enforcement.

'If the resident has submitted a Stage 2 appeal and this has been rejected by the council, they are entitled to submit an appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.'