A VIGILANT neighbour has won a fight against traffic wardens over claims residents were unfairly ticketed outside their own homes.

People living on the Lawford Dale estate – where vehicles cannot park on the road between 11am and noon on weekdays – have been clouted with the fines over bank holidays this year.

Alison Hillman, of Munnings Way, was ready for the return of wardens and threatened to knock on residents’ doors and warn them if she saw wardens on patrol.

Now Tendring Council has agreed it will not enforce bank holidays for the time being.

Residents argue the estate’s parking restrictions were designed to prevent commuters clogging up the roads and that fining residents on bank holidays is draconian.

Mrs Hillman, 38, said: “The attendants issue them knowing they are residents’ cars. As the restrictions are in place to prevent commuters, we can’t understand why they need to come on bank holidays.

“We are fed up of these draconian measures – they are exploiting local residents.”

Nigel Brown, the authority’s communications manager, said the council found itself in a difficult position because it monitored the estate on behalf of people living there, to ensure commuters do not park there.

“It is impossible for the parking attendants to know whether a vehicle parked in these roads belongs to a resident or someone else leaving their car there while they catch a train.

“The simple answer to the problem would be for the residents of the estate to lobby for a residents’ only parking scheme which would overcome the whole issue.”

Mr Brown said the council was trying to be fair and consistent by enforcing the regulations, but bearing in mind what the residents have said it will not enforce bank holidays for the time being and monitor the situation to see what happens.