I just cannot understand why Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) cannot be trained in a sensible way.
One of our vehicles developed a fault that brought on a red engine management light and went into limp mode.
The driver called me, and I instructed him to get the vehicle off the road and switched off as quickly and safely as possible.
This involved him having to mount a kerb. Had he not done this, he would have blocked the road.
Now, during the Driver CPC course I am sure I remember talking about this particular eventuality, and that in circumstances like these the driver can do exactly what he did.
So why are CEOs for the London Borough Councils not taught to take these things into account? Our driver offered to show the red engine light etc. but the CEO simply said “sorry, but I am giving you a ticket”.
Of course I sent an appeal, and Camden overturned it. What a waste of people’s time. A load of unnecessary paperwork simply because the CEOs are unapproachable and untrained in important day-to-day situations that can occur.
Anyone with any common sense would have just walked on.
Greg White, Director White’s St Albans
