Motorists’ champion Barrie Segal reveals his parking battles

There’s one man who has done more campaigning on behalf of wronged motorists in London and beyond than anyone — and he’s written a great new book recalling some of his big fights.

It’s been my pleasure to know Barrie Segal — chartered accountant-turned-parking-campaigner — for years and he’s always proved a reliable, dogged, and highly informative source of information.

So I’m proud to have been asked to write the introduction to his Quick Guide to Fight Your Parking Ticket.

So how did it all begin? Segal was asked by a TV company to comment on the legality of a bus lane, which was bringing in many thousands of pounds a month to the local council — and which desperate motorists claimed was unfair. In the full glare of a TV camera crew, Segal examined and measured the bus lane — declaring it was illegally marked. But the council insisted Segal was wrong. Soon afterwards, office workers spotted — and filmed — council employees quietly removing the “correct” bus lane markings. Case proved — and won.

In 2006, Segal uncovered another scandal, claiming thousands of council parking tickets were illegal.

He helped a motorist fight a parking ticket on the basis that it was indeed illegal and unenforceable.

The case went to a High Court judicial review before the judge declared that Segal was right.

For more on Segal’s downloadable book, priced at £5.99, go to amazon.co.uk