AN angry motorist is refusing to pay a Bexley Council parking fine because he claims Bexley is acting illegally.

Andrew Merron, 48, an operations manager for BT also believes hundreds of other people who have already coughed up fines to Bexley, may be entitled to a refund.

Mr Merron, who lives in Shepherd’s Lane, Dartford, received a £50 penalty notice for parking on the pavement in Tyrrell Avenue, Welling, when he and his wife Sandra went to a Halloween party in October last year.

He said: “We got there at about 9pm and checked the parking restrictions to see if we could park.

“The sign on the lamppost indicated we could park with two wheels on the pavement. So I did.”

After taking a cab home from the party, Mr Merron returned to following day to collect his car.

He found he had been given a ticket for parking with one or more wheels on the pavement.

Mr Merron promptly appealed against the ticket, but lost.

Bexley Council told him he could only park on the pavement in Tyrrell Avenue if he was parked in one of the bays marked out on the pavement, and put the fine up to £100.

Furious, Mr Merron checked out street signs on the Department of Transport website as well as the other street signs around Tyrrell Avenue and he is convinced Bexley is displaying the wrong sign.

He says there is a similar, but different sign, which indicates pavement parking within bays.

Bexley has now put the fine up to £150 and says it will take Mr Merron to court if he does not pay.

But he is convinced he is in the right.

Mr Merron said: “I am fuming.

“I only parked on the pavement because the sign said I could. There is nothing to indicate you must park in a bay.”

A Bexley Council spokeswoman said: "The council is satisfied the signs and markings comply with the statutory requirements and that the PCN was issued and served correctly."

She added: "Mr Merron was given the option to lodge an appeal against the council’s decision to uphold the issue of the PCN with the independent adjudication service, however, the statutory period to allow him to do so has now passed and there is no record that he lodged such an appeal.

"There is no additional statutory recourse for further consideration of Mr Merron’s case.

"It is advised that he makes prompt payment of the penalty charge before he incurs further charges."