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Corrie star’s anger over town hall parking fine

16/ 1/2008

COUNCIL parking chiefs are refusing to back down in a parking row with soapstar Bill Tarmey.

Bill – famous as Coronation Street curmudgeon Jack Duckworth – was handed a penalty notice when his driver parked in a bay outside Ashton town hall marked ‘civic business only’.

At the time the 66-year-old actor was appearing in a World Diabetes Day event organised by Tameside Hospital and taking place at the town hall.

His driver could not find a space in the pay and display car park and assumed as he was on ‘official’ business, he could park in an official bay.

But a traffic warden thought differently and slapped the car with a £30 fine.

And a letter from Bill, who lives in Ashton, to Tameside Council’s parking officials failed to move them.

They said members of the public often claim to be on town hall business in an attempt to escape the fine.

Fuming, Bill said he was not angry at having to pay £30, but at the principle, as he often gave up his time for charities connected with the council.

He said he would not rule out requests from charities in future but "if they are connected with local government or the town hall then I will think twice."

A council spokesman said: "Although we very much appreciate the local charitable work Mr Tarmey gets involved in, on this occasion he was at the town hall at the invitation of Tameside Hospital and so we cannot waive his ticket on the grounds that he was performing civic duties – it would be unfair to treat his case differently to any other where someone has parked in these spaces inappropriately."

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