We are furious after a municipal employee parked on double yellow lines and blocked the bus stop

RESIDENTS were furious after a council worker parked his car on double yellow lines – and was denied a ticket.

The vehicle, which bore Blackburn’s Darwen Council logo, was parked outside a health center blocking a bus stop, but all they got was a “talk to”.

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Locals spotted the Skoda Octavia station wagon on Police Street, Darwen on Monday evening.

But after taking a picture of the illegally parked car and reporting it to the council, bosses said staff would only get a snag.

A man who spotted the seedy parking lot described the lack of punishment as “hypocritical” as the public is regularly fined for similar behavior.

He told the Lancashire Telegraph: “It’s hypocrisy, pure and simple.

“The council always penalizes people and rakes in money through fines for just these kinds of things.

“The car was not only on double yellow, but also blocked access to the bus stop.”

Martin Eden, strategic director for environment and operations at Blackburn at Darwen Council, justified the lack of a penalty, saying the council worker was “delivering and collecting mail”.

But he stopped apologizing and instead advised that he would urge other community workers not to do the same.

He said: “The community vehicle in question was parked at Darwen Health Center for less than two minutes to collect and deliver the mail.

“The City Council does not condone parking on double yellow lines in any way, so we have reminded colleagues to park in the Health Center car park going forward and, if there is no space in the car park, to continue to the nearest post office and return later on day back.”