A SHOPKEEPER is outraged after he says he caught one of Bexley Council’s CCTV cars parked in a bus stop outside his store.

Harpawan Sahota, 22, photographed the enforcement car in the bus stop at around 2.45pm on December 2 outside TJ News in North End Road, Erith.

The cars use CCTV to catch people parking illegally across the borough.

A Penalty Charge Notice is then issued to the owner of the vehicle through the post.

Mr Sahota said: “If any of our customers park in the bus stop only for a minute to get something from the shops, they get a ticket.

“There aren’t many spaces to park. There obviously wasn’t a space for him, so he parked in the bus stop.

“It makes me angry.

“It’s unjust that we pay council tax when the council lets its cars park in bus stops when we can’t.

“How can they give tickets to people when they do the same thing themselves?”

Mr Sahota says the car then drove off when he started taking photos.

However, Bexley Council denies the car was park illegally.

A spokeswoman said: “The operator pulled into the bus stop to get off the main dual carriage way so he could reverse into a parking bay just before the bus stop.

“He was then prevented from getting into the parking bay by the lorry pictured.

“The operator was then deliberately prevented from safely rejoining the main carriageway while picture four was being taken.

“We see no evidence to suggest the operator parked the vehicle in the bus stop, and as the vehicle was never left unattended we are satisfied the operator was engaged on official duty and was attempting to park legally in order to carry out his work.

“The vehicle was neither parked nor was it in breach of the regulations.”