EXCLUSIVE: Oops - Wirral 'Spy' Car didn't see that one coming

1:56pm Friday 15th June 2012 in News Exclusive By Craig Manning

The car after its encounter with a bus in Bebington. Pic sent in by reader The car after its encounter with a bus in Bebington. Pic sent in by reader

THESE pictures show what happened to Wirral Council's controversial 'spy' car when it was hit by a bus.

The surveillance vehicle was parked in Bebington Village. According to Globe readers, its driver opened the door just as a bus was passing.

As a result the Smart Car's door was almost ripped off its hinges.

Luckily neither of the drivers were injured, but concerns have been raised by readers that the car, which is operated by the council's parking enforcement contractor NSL, was illegally parked.

A spokesman for the authority denied that this was the case.

The photographs were sent in by a reader who remarked: "As a rate payer I would like to know why the parking enforcement vehicle was parked on a single yellow line when it would seem the driver decided to open the door to have it ripped off?

"Does the authority consider itself exempt from its own parking regulations and as the vehicle has been clearly photographed whilst illegally parked will you be issuing and the driver paying a statutory fine?"

A spokesperson said: "A CCTV vehicle operated by NSL was involved in a minor road traffic collision with a bus whilst carrying out parking enforcement activity on behalf of Wirral Council. "Nobody was injured, although both vehicles were damaged and were taken off the road for repair.”

"A replacement CCTV vehicle has been deployed by NSL so there will be no gap in the provision of parking enforcement services."

The vehicle is a Smart car fitted 11ft 'periscope' camera.. Its primary use is to catch and fine errant motorists who park on zig zag lines outside schools, but it also being used to snap drivers who stop on double yellow lines near to cashpoint machines.

In response to concerns that the vehicle was parked illegally the council spokesman said: “In order for the camera car to carry out its work safely, the car has special dispensation to park in some areas, when necessary, when undertaking enforcement activity. This is reviewed on a case by case basis.”

Comments(29)

council officer says...
2:06pm Fri 15 Jun 12

How ironic ha ha! Funny that!

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Cheesy Peas says...
2:07pm Fri 15 Jun 12

One day, in the far off future, the council will put its hands up and say: "You know what, you're right. We got this completely wrong."

Well, I can dream...

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Wirralrob says...
2:24pm Fri 15 Jun 12

Brilliant.

NSL

Numpty
Should've
Looked?

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Schu32 says...
2:42pm Fri 15 Jun 12

I wonder if he'll ticket himself for being stopped on a single yellow :p

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bigfoot says...
3:37pm Fri 15 Jun 12

Sorry not a Smart but a Toyota IQ. The previous one was a Smart.
But isn't this poetic justice?!

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Wirral.Talk says...
3:48pm Fri 15 Jun 12

Parked on a pavement like most drivers do. tut tut

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LocaLGovwatcher says...
4:16pm Fri 15 Jun 12

One in the eye for the spy!

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Spiffy says...
5:18pm Fri 15 Jun 12

Smart Car... with a thick driver... enforcing a hypocritical agenda...gets smashed up...and it's all paid for by us.
...
Cuts...what cuts ?

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Ed_Smith says...
5:50pm Fri 15 Jun 12

and people say buses are useless.

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bickyboy says...
6:10pm Fri 15 Jun 12

You are, of course allowed to park on single yellows under certain conditions.

And dont be frightened of the big bad spy car. If you're not illegally parked, it cant get yer.

Lastly, what a shame it wasnt cubed by a scrapyard mincer instead.

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No.9 says...
6:31pm Fri 15 Jun 12

Woo! Hoo! I dance like Homer!

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Wirralresident5 says...
7:52pm Fri 15 Jun 12

People are so small minded, there was a driver in this vehicle and was lucky to escape injury. It just proves that people with one brain cell are the ones who park illegally. If wasn't for these people the car wouldn't have to be here, use the car park!

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steady cyclist says...
10:03pm Fri 15 Jun 12

I wonder if the driver of the car will be charged with maliciously opening a car door into the traffic flow, a real law,that has previously been used when us cyclists have been knocked off our bikes.

Hopefuly he is not injured,and that the insurance claim from a bus load of pasengers and driver for whiplash is paid successfully by the insurance comapny.
Finally the car and driver does a good job of enforcing the traffic regulations on the wirral.

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Jimrob says...
10:27pm Fri 15 Jun 12

"What Goes Around, Comes Around" eh?

My first observation is that the accident obviously didn't take place where these photo's were taken as evidenced by the total lack og glass on the road surface in the pictures.

I would agree though that the driver of the car must be guilty of failing to show due care and attention to other road users. Rather embarrasing considering all the cameras, mirrors and periscopes fitted to this vehicle.

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spamfiend says...
7:46am Sat 16 Jun 12

Whether or not the driver has special dispensation to park on single yellow lines when needed, where he was going to park is on a bend by a bus stop meaning cars have to cross the central white line to over take them if needed.
Surely that in itself breaks the law, and whilst I do hope the driver is okay, he should be charged for driving without due care and attention at the very least and even made to pay for the repairs to the two vehicles as well!!

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pykey08 says...
10:15am Sat 16 Jun 12

why is it bus drivers and taxi drivers never get caught speeding?

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soapyd says...
11:53am Sat 16 Jun 12

I used to do an afternoon collection from the pillar box ove the road from this, and that car was ALWAYS illegally parked. It was either on the side of the accident on a single yellow, or on the opposite side on the zig zags. Most of the time unmanned while the driver was in the bookies or co-op.

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uncatom says...
4:01pm Sat 16 Jun 12

No dispensation allowed on zigzags its a no no , as previously stated should a cyclist have been involved prosecution would have been a certainty at best the driver was unprofessional and careless,who watches the watchers?

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JimmyMercury says...
8:28pm Sat 16 Jun 12

In the first place, they cannot give out fines, only the courts and police can do that. They give out penalty charge notices.

Karma is a wonderful thing and with a bit of luck the other one might get squashed.

I'm all for parking legally but these people regulary photograph and expect payment from minibuses delivering severely disabled children to school. I myself have been a victim. That's the main problem, there is no provision for commonsense with this thing. The I am only doing my job excuse! Nuremburg defence I believe it is called?

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statictom says...
11:44am Sun 17 Jun 12

You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. The standard of people they employ leaves a lot to be desired. This car was used in Bromborough village until they eventually put in parking bays and it was not required. Whilst there it would often take pictures of cars number plates from a distance and notices would be duly sent out. Problem was most of the cars had disabled blue badges in the windscreen and could not be seen. Result - many people had to take ages over lodging an appeal to have the tickets written off. At one stage it had to be taken off the road to have the tinted glass changed on its windows as they were illegal. Have to agree with the above post that if common sense was used in a lot of these circumstances, the public would probably accept the car being used. But then its all about making money.

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djrimmer says...
7:16pm Mon 18 Jun 12

NSL are a bunch of incompetent cowboys...you only have to look at the incidents involving them on Youtube, according to the contract withWirral Council all their operatives are supposed to be trained to (If I recall correctly) NVQ......Hmmmmm, I wonder!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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uncatom says...
1:52pm Tue 19 Jun 12

Would that be no vocational qualifications, this is the cost of privatisation,cheap and nasty contracts offering poor and costly services employing buffoons.

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uncatom says...
1:58pm Tue 19 Jun 12

A council spokesperson said in order for the camera car to carry out its work "safely" well that worked then, more bungling!

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spamfiend says...
7:43pm Tue 19 Jun 12

and I see they pranged another car today but still got another one out on the road. Must be nice to have an endless supply of cars.

Would love to hear from NSL to see exactly what punishment is being meted out to this driver who was obviously negligent in his duty. Just hope no-one on the bus got hurt or bangs in a claim for whiplash cos that will be my insurance premiums going up yet again next renewal date!

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red devil says...
2:53pm Wed 20 Jun 12

Parking on pavements is illegal, parking on yellow lines is illegal unless disabled, so whats his excuse?

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djrimmer says...
6:46pm Wed 20 Jun 12

“In order for the camera car to carry out its work safely, the car has special dispensation to park in some areas, when necessary, when undertaking enforcement activity. This is reviewed on a case by case basis.”

So there is one law for us and a different one for Wirral Council?

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red devil says...
2:06pm Thu 21 Jun 12

Ah thanks, forgot WBC make the rules!

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daisie67 says...
8:46pm Thu 21 Jun 12

I know he has parked his so called smart car out the way of other traffic (for his so called safety)but does he realise that pavements are for pedestrians and not motor vehicles so he must be parking illegally???

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luckyvsh says...
6:31pm Fri 22 Jun 12

Does anyone know the bus driver?

I want to buy him/her a drink.

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