'WE TREAT all cars equally', traffic wardens have said, after a businessman alleged his £90,000 BMW was targeted unfairly.
Company director Olid Uddin said his sports car was given a ticket while parked in a residential street off St Clement's but a relative's car, which was also parked illegally at the same time, was left untouched.
The 31-year-old has complained to the county council and asked to get his ticket cancelled amid claims this 'affluent' part of Oxford is being 'bombarded' by jealous traffic wardens.
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He said: "The traffic warden deliberately chose to give my car a ticket out of sheer jealousy and envy it seems, even though my parking contravention was minor in comparison to that of my relative who was on double yellows blocking two cars."
Mr Uddin was hosting a family gathering at home on April 26 and his driveway, where he usually parks, was full of cars.
He admits he temporarily used a resident's parking bay without a valid permit but said he was parked for 'no more than a few minutes' before being fined.
His cousin, who drives a '12-year-old very basic family car', also couldn't find a space and was in a rush to attend the event so chose to park on double yellow lines, blocking a friend's driveway, according to Mr Uddin.
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He objects to being the only driver fined when there were worse offences taking place on the same road with no repercussions.
Martin Crabtree, spokesman for Oxfordshire County Council, has denied any suggestion that certain cars or areas are targeted by wardens because of wealth.
He said: "Any vehicle that is parked in contravention of the restrictions in place will be liable to receive a Penalty Charge Notice.
"We are responsible for enforcement across all controlled parking zones and the same applies to all vehicles."
In a complaint letter, sent to Oxford's Notice Processing Centre, Mr Uddin wrote: "Just because I am driving a luxury expensive vehicle does not mean your warden can pick and choose whom he gives tickets to, your warden is supposed to be policing any parking contraventions not picking and choosing.
"This type of behaviour is not on, I admit my parking contravention but I demand to be excused from this due to being singled out."
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But his appeal was rejected, with the council saying there were 'insufficient grounds' for cancelling the ticket.
Its response read: "Permit holders pay an annual fee for their permits and the space is limited, therefore this restriction is strictly enforced.
"While I appreciate that you feel your vehicle has been singled out and other vehicles were not issued too, this would not be grounds to cancel a penalty charge notice. As your vehicle was in a permit bay without a valid permit a penalty was correctly issued."
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