Campaign launched to keep the roof over Barry’s head
8:53am Wednesday 16th January 2013 in News
A NATIONAL campaign has been launched to help a Bolton parking protester pay his huge legal fees.
BBC documentary Parking Mad featured the story Barry Moss, from Westhoughton, who has described himself as a “thorn in the side” of Bolton Council’s parking department.
Mr Moss deliberately picks up fines by parking on lines or in bays, which he claims are not clearly marked, so he can fight the cases at appeal.
The documentary told how Mr Moss unsuccessfully took Bolton Council’s auditors KPMG to the High Court in 2010, after he claimed the authority had gained money from issuing “unlawful” tickets.
Losing the case left the 66-year-old with huge legal bills and facing the prospect of losing his Hindley Road home, which the former roofer built himself in 1993.
Following the programme Mr Moss — who fights tribunals on behalf of people from all over the country — says he has been recognised in the street and emailed by others asking for advice.
The Bolton News has also been contacted by people pledging cash to help him with his legal bills, including two London taxi drivers who have never met Mr Moss — or each other.
Martin Long, aged 55, of Purley, has worked in the capital for seven years and recently appealed online for people to send cash to Barry to help him keep his house.
He said: “I went on the internet and asked if anything was being done.
“I’ll only be able to send him £25 to £30 but if 4,000 people give him a tenner then it’s job done.”
John Cobb, aged 57, or Epping, has driven London cabs for 12 years.
He added: “If councils want people to abide by the law then they have to follow the rules as well. We just want councils to be reasonable.
“I’m going to send him a cheque for £20, it’s not a lot but it adds up.”
Mr Moss says he is working on four appeals at the moment, one for a ticket he deliberately picked up in Bury, and three for other people.
He added: “Taxi drivers see a lot of this because it’s a law of averages with the driving they do.”
Comments(7)
Smartguy
says...
3:05pm Wed 16 Jan 13
Up to the beginning of 2012 this man had every one of 80 parking tickets he contested cancelled, mostly on behalf of others who asked him for his knowledge and help. He saved them a huge sum of money and charged them nothing even though it has cost him his own time and money.
Every one of those parking tickets should never have been issued in the first place and it shows that many thousands of other unlawfully-issued parking tickets should never have been issued in the first place.
In every one of those cases Mr Moss did NOT break the law, he proved that the COUNCILS, and not just Bolton, were breaking the law. Got it now?
If you have a better idea of how to force councils to put their parking enforcement into lawful order we all need to hear about it. If you don't know the extent of council disregard of the law when it comes to parking enforcement, as you obviously don't, you have a lot to learn.
By way of putting your mistakes right, since Barry forced Bolton council to put their mass of unlawful parking signs and lines into good order for the first time a few years ago things have been very much better for all drivers in Bolton as he would tell you himself.
Best not to jump to wrong conclusions, especially about one of the best friends that law-abiding motorists have.
steveG
says...
3:10pm Wed 16 Jan 13
The councils are immorally exploiting money from the very people they are supposed to represent and I don't suppose I'm the only one who finds this state of affairs abhorrent.
temujin
says...
7:12pm Wed 16 Jan 13
Smartguy wrote:The costs liability arises from a case taken against the auditors, which, not surprisingly, was dismissed.
Sorry magic dragon but you jump to wrong conclusions knowing none of the facts.
Up to the beginning of 2012 this man had every one of 80 parking tickets he contested cancelled, mostly on behalf of others who asked him for his knowledge and help. He saved them a huge sum of money and charged them nothing even though it has cost him his own time and money.
Every one of those parking tickets should never have been issued in the first place and it shows that many thousands of other unlawfully-issued parking tickets should never have been issued in the first place.
In every one of those cases Mr Moss did NOT break the law, he proved that the COUNCILS, and not just Bolton, were breaking the law. Got it now?
If you have a better idea of how to force councils to put their parking enforcement into lawful order we all need to hear about it. If you don't know the extent of council disregard of the law when it comes to parking enforcement, as you obviously don't, you have a lot to learn.
By way of putting your mistakes right, since Barry forced Bolton council to put their mass of unlawful parking signs and lines into good order for the first time a few years ago things have been very much better for all drivers in Bolton as he would tell you himself.
Best not to jump to wrong conclusions, especially about one of the best friends that law-abiding motorists have.
On what basis was it ever thought to be viable?
aardwolf
says...
10:00pm Wed 16 Jan 13
Smartguy wrote:The cost of rectifying signage was presumably zero to the council tax payer
Sorry magic dragon but you jump to wrong conclusions knowing none of the facts.
Up to the beginning of 2012 this man had every one of 80 parking tickets he contested cancelled, mostly on behalf of others who asked him for his knowledge and help. He saved them a huge sum of money and charged them nothing even though it has cost him his own time and money.
Every one of those parking tickets should never have been issued in the first place and it shows that many thousands of other unlawfully-issued parking tickets should never have been issued in the first place.
In every one of those cases Mr Moss did NOT break the law, he proved that the COUNCILS, and not just Bolton, were breaking the law. Got it now?
If you have a better idea of how to force councils to put their parking enforcement into lawful order we all need to hear about it. If you don't know the extent of council disregard of the law when it comes to parking enforcement, as you obviously don't, you have a lot to learn.
By way of putting your mistakes right, since Barry forced Bolton council to put their mass of unlawful parking signs and lines into good order for the first time a few years ago things have been very much better for all drivers in Bolton as he would tell you himself.
Best not to jump to wrong conclusions, especially about one of the best friends that law-abiding motorists have.
Citizen Cane
says...
11:05pm Wed 16 Jan 13
Arise Sir Barry...
Respect!
aardwolf
says...
9:28am Thu 17 Jan 13
magic dragon says...
11:59am Wed 16 Jan 13