Ticketing error: The car park where the machine was installed (Picture: Google)

Drivers have been fined after a West Yorkshire council mistakenly fitted a French ticket machine in a car park.

Unable to put British coins into the machine at the Ian Clough car park in Baildon, the motorists were issued with tickets by traffic wardens.

Bradford Council eventually slapped ‘out of order’ stickers across the machine, which was installed three months ago, as they struggled to work out what was wrong with it.

On Friday, however, it finally sprang into action – when one motorist realised that the machine was French and was configured to take euros.


Council workmen have now removed the ‘out of order’ notices.



Councillor Debbie Davies was among those who had tried to use the machine at the car park.

‘The pound coin simply would not fit in the slot,’ she said. ‘There wasn’t anything blocking it, it didn’t go in and then fell out. The machine just couldn’t take the pound.’

Bradford Council has now rectified the mistake, adjusting the machine to take British coins.

‘After some 12 weeks of standing there doing nothing, the “out of order” signs have been removed and for the first time it’s operational,’ said Ms Davies.

‘Suddenly my pound coin fitted perfectly and it issued me a timed and dated ticket. It’s a miracle.’

Michaela Hall, assistant parking services co-ordinator for Bradford Council, said: ‘The parking machines are configured for UK coins and our technician activated the new ticket machine.’