A MOTORIST who received a £25 penalty for overstaying the parking limit on a town high street says he won’t pay, as the single sign is ‘barely visible’.

David Slater, 68, found a ticket slapped on his car 55 minutes after parking in the bay.

The warden “flashed” him a picture on his phone of the 30-minute waiting sign, which the driver later found eight feet up a lamp post at the other end of the 100m-long Newerne Street parking bay.

And St Briavels dad-of-two Mr Slater says it is in breach of highways rules, which say signs should be clearly visible.

“It’s ridiculous. I couldn’t find the sign on the day, and only spotted it when I searched five days later,” he said. “Another motorist who had just received a ticket couldn’t see it beside Lloyds Pharmacy either, until I pointed it out.

“There used to a be a signpost at the other end of the bay, but there’s now just a stump in the ground, while there are no other parking signs on the bay, which holds 10 or more vehicles.

“There’s no warning of any restriction for 100m, except for a small sign at the end which is difficult to see unless you’re right next to it. Highways Agency regulations say there should be a sign at each end, which there isn’t, and signs every 30m, which there aren’t.

“The restriction is not readily visible, which is why the warden keeps a photo on his phone, as he’s had to show other disgruntled drivers the same thing before.

“I accept I was over 30 minutes, but the rest of the town is an hour, and any deviation from that general rule should be clearly advertised.”

Mr Slater wrote to Gloucestershire Council but they refused to rescind the penalty, claiming it was the driver’s responsibility to check the parking zone for “any rules and regulations.”

“I’ve written to the Uxbridge-based firm who administer the parking, and said I’m in dispute with the council and will be appealing and won’t be paying the fine at the moment,” he added.

“I’ve also spoken to Lydney councillor Alan Preest who says there have been a rash of these problems.”